TRAGIC CARLETONVILLE ACCIDENT RAISES URGENT QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHOOL TRANSPORT SAFETY

Fri 12 July 2024:

Johannesburg – Following the tragic death of 12 pupils and their transport driver in a road accident in Carletonville yesterday morning, serious questions are being raised about vehicle safety and roadworthiness, especially when transporting school children.

Concerns about the safety of schoolchildren in public and scholarly transportation, often a minibus, have long been prevalent. These vehicles are frequently overloaded and often in poor condition.

Obed Sibasa, the spokesperson for Gauteng Traffic Police, acknowledged these issues. He affirmed that while many operators comply with road safety regulations, some still compromise passenger safety.

However, Sibasa emphasised that the Road Traffic Management Cooperation (RTMC) is investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of the crash. He refrained from attributing blame to either vehicle involved.

“The vehicle was transporting 19 people. However, the challenge is why road traffic management crash investigators are busy with the scene. You see when the vehicle is beyond recognition, it’s disturbing to talk about.”

“One thing that one would not typically discuss is how badly the car is burned. You cannot say until investigators come up with a report. You cannot even see whether the car was roadworthy or not because it has been burned down to ashes, including our learners.”

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Condolences and Prayers Sent to the Young Victims Families

The accident comes at the start of a new school term, casting a shadow over what should have been a time of new beginnings and excitement for young learners and their families. Instead, the community and the nation are now grappling with the sudden loss of young lives.

Providing details, Sibasa stated that the transport vehicle was carrying 19 passengers, 12 of whom died. At the same time, seven were rushed to the hospital. The car reportedly travelled slowly when struck by a Ford Ranger bakkie from behind, causing it to overturn and catch fire.

This tragic event has left entire families in mourning. In contrast, others now fear for the safety of their children who rely on alternative transport to get to school.

Sibasa and government officials, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, expressed deep sadness over this loss and shared their condolences and prayers with the affected families.

In a statement, President Ramaphosa said, “The loss of such young lives at the start of a new school term touches all of us as a nation”.

“We wish the affected families and school communities the best as they mourn the passing of children who have been deprived of fulfilling their potential and spending their lives with families and friends.

“This tragedy, which regretfully is not the first of its kind to confront us, demands that we exercise our obligation to protect our children with the utmost care.”

Sibasa hopes the investigation will bring justice to the families, and those responsible for the accident will be held accountable. He also wanted this tragedy to catalyse improved road safety measures to prevent such incidents in future.

by Thaabit Kamaar

This article originally published in Salaamedia Click here