Driver in deadly scholar transport crash to have his day in court
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has confirmed that the scholar transport vehicle involved in a horrific crash in Vanderbijlpark, which claimed the lives of 12 pupils, was operating with an expired PDP.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
THE 22-year-old scholar transport driver in the crash that claimed the lives of 12 children is expected to be charged with 12 counts of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving when he appears before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lt Colonel Mavela Masondo said the man was arrested after being discharged from the hospital.
"After the police visited the hospitals and the mortuary to verify the number of fatalities and injuries, it can be confirmed that 12 learners died at the accident scene and five were taken to the nearest hospitals for medical treatment, of which one has since been discharged. The driver of the truck that was involved in the accident escaped unharmed, while the passenger sustained injuries and was receiving treatment in the hospital."
Calls for the regulation of the scholar transport industry have continued to grow after a minibus taxi crash in Vanderbijlpark claimed the lives of 12 learners, with one still unidentified on Monday.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
The police also confirmed that the minibus taxi, which was certified for only 14 people, was transporting 18 passengers.
During a media briefing on Tuesday, Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela announced that the provincial government was considering drastic measures, including regulating the scholar industry.
"One of the key challenges we face is that this industry is not regulated. We are now working with Sci-Bono, the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), and other institutions in establishing advanced driving academies," she stated.
Lesufi said the public scholar transport system, which is government-led, carries more than 260,000 learners per day, and the private scholar transport is part of the family arrangement with drivers.
“On this one, it is very difficult to get the statistics, but the team is working on the statistics," he stated.
To the private sector involved in the transportation of thousands of learners, Lesufi called for more responsible handling of the sector.
"Those who are privately transporting children, this is the information that we want to share with you. From the 12th to the 18th of January, we have been embarking on an intensive evaluation of this industry. In Tshwane, we have issued no less than 335 notices for non-compliance, amounting to R535,000 in penalties," he said.
Cape Times