An unlicensed driver who caused the deaths of two children, including a member of the Hoërskool Grens cricket first team, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment in the East London Magistrate’s Court this week.
This was despite Themba Kundulu, 38, pleading not guilty to two counts of culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving, driving under the influence and driving without a licence.
For the purpose of sentencing, magistrate Annamarie Elliot took the charges as one.
The crash between the school’s minibus and a Ford Laser hatchback, driven by Kundulu, occurred on the afternoon of October 16 last year on the corner of the R72 and R347.
The school bus, transporting the cricket team, was returning from a tournament in Uitenhage at the time. Grade 9 Grens pupil Clinton Bosman and four-year-old Onisa Veletshona, who was travelling in Kundulu’s car, died at the scene.
The accused has been in prison since his arrest last year, after the state feared he would evade trial as his physical address was not known.
The state called two witnesses: Warrant Officer Bruce Taylor of the East London SAPS Collisions Unit, who visited the accident scene, and eye-witness Giselle Gill.
Taylor testified in the trial that the vehicle Kundulu was driving was certified to carry five people including the driver, but was carrying 10 people and two piglets.
Gill said she was following at a safe distance behind the minibus when she saw a Ford Laser ahead take the King William’s Town turnoff without stopping or indicating.
The driver of the minibus veered off the road to avoid colliding with the Ford, but collided with it before hitting a tree.
Kundulu was represented by Legal Aid, who indicated to the court that they would not be appealing the sentence. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Four years for fatal accident
This was despite Themba Kundulu, 38, pleading not guilty to two counts of culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving, driving under the influence and driving without a licence.
For the purpose of sentencing, magistrate Annamarie Elliot took the charges as one.
The crash between the school’s minibus and a Ford Laser hatchback, driven by Kundulu, occurred on the afternoon of October 16 last year on the corner of the R72 and R347.
The school bus, transporting the cricket team, was returning from a tournament in Uitenhage at the time. Grade 9 Grens pupil Clinton Bosman and four-year-old Onisa Veletshona, who was travelling in Kundulu’s car, died at the scene.
The accused has been in prison since his arrest last year, after the state feared he would evade trial as his physical address was not known.
The state called two witnesses: Warrant Officer Bruce Taylor of the East London SAPS Collisions Unit, who visited the accident scene, and eye-witness Giselle Gill.
Taylor testified in the trial that the vehicle Kundulu was driving was certified to carry five people including the driver, but was carrying 10 people and two piglets.
Gill said she was following at a safe distance behind the minibus when she saw a Ford Laser ahead take the King William’s Town turnoff without stopping or indicating.
The driver of the minibus veered off the road to avoid colliding with the Ford, but collided with it before hitting a tree.
Kundulu was represented by Legal Aid, who indicated to the court that they would not be appealing the sentence. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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