NINE schoolchildren were injured when a scholar transport vehicle lost control and overturned on the N2 yesterday.
The children, and two adults who were also in the vehicle, were rushed to hospital and most treated for minor injuries. According to authorities one child was in a serious condition.
The department of transport has condemned the accident, which happened just after 7am yesterday. The children were being transported to various East London schools from Mdantsane in a bakkie.
East London police are now investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving.
East London spokesman Captain Stephen Marais said the vehicle veered off the road near the Mdantsane off-ramp on the N2.
“Luckily no fatalities were reported and all the injured were rushed to hospital,” said Marais. “We suspect that the cause of this accident was wet roads. and we urge people not to speed on wet roads.”
The nine pupils and two adults were rushed to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane.
As the emergency personnel were clearing up the accident scene yesterday, another vehicle collided with a police vehicle. Marais said curious onlookers also posed a danger to motorists.
“We always urge motorists to drive slowly past accident scenes and refrain from taking pictures and videos as this makes them lose concentration and ends up causing other accidents,” said Marais.
Education spokesman Mali Mtima referred the Saturday Dispatch to the transport department for comment. Transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said the department was doing all it could to stop drivers from using bakkies to transport children to school.
“In the Buffalo City Metro area, this is prevalent and we don’t understand it because this area has more minibuses and buses for parents to choose instead of bakkies,” said Kumbaca.
“The MEC has come with plans to help where all unroadworthy scholar transport will be taken off the roads. Just today in the Seymour area a number of vehicles were taken off our roads,” he said.
Kumbaca said anyone who saw an unroadworthy vehicle or a bakkie transporting schoolchildren should call their toll free number. “As soon as we receive that, officials will attend to it,” he added.
The toll free number is 0800644644. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Pupils injured as bakkie overturns
The children, and two adults who were also in the vehicle, were rushed to hospital and most treated for minor injuries. According to authorities one child was in a serious condition.
The department of transport has condemned the accident, which happened just after 7am yesterday. The children were being transported to various East London schools from Mdantsane in a bakkie.
East London police are now investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving.
East London spokesman Captain Stephen Marais said the vehicle veered off the road near the Mdantsane off-ramp on the N2.
“Luckily no fatalities were reported and all the injured were rushed to hospital,” said Marais. “We suspect that the cause of this accident was wet roads. and we urge people not to speed on wet roads.”
The nine pupils and two adults were rushed to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane.
As the emergency personnel were clearing up the accident scene yesterday, another vehicle collided with a police vehicle. Marais said curious onlookers also posed a danger to motorists.
“We always urge motorists to drive slowly past accident scenes and refrain from taking pictures and videos as this makes them lose concentration and ends up causing other accidents,” said Marais.
Education spokesman Mali Mtima referred the Saturday Dispatch to the transport department for comment. Transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said the department was doing all it could to stop drivers from using bakkies to transport children to school.
“In the Buffalo City Metro area, this is prevalent and we don’t understand it because this area has more minibuses and buses for parents to choose instead of bakkies,” said Kumbaca.
“The MEC has come with plans to help where all unroadworthy scholar transport will be taken off the roads. Just today in the Seymour area a number of vehicles were taken off our roads,” he said.
Kumbaca said anyone who saw an unroadworthy vehicle or a bakkie transporting schoolchildren should call their toll free number. “As soon as we receive that, officials will attend to it,” he added.
The toll free number is 0800644644. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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