Prayers for bus crash pupils still in hospital
Three pupils and a staff member are still in ICU following a bus accident near Amanzimtoti on Friday.
TEN Durban Girls’ High School pupil are still in hospital following the horror bus accident on Friday evening when the bus they were travelling in smashed through the armco barriers and overturned near eManzimtoti as they returned from playing soccer matches against Port Shepstone High School.
Principal, Erica Hayes-Hill confirmed this morning that most of the more than 50 girls injured have been discharged from hospital. Six girls are still in hospital, three are in ICU and one staff member is also in ICU.
She said they were making progress and most of the girls had been discharged after receiving the treatment they needed.
“We’re still trusting and praying for a full recovery for the girls. The school, the community, counsellors, psychologists and other school principals have also offered help and asked what they can do, it has been absolutely overwhelming,” she said.
Hayes-Hill said she had received numerous emails from parents thanking the staff that their children were being so well taken care of, and she said the school’s pupils had also been using social media in a positive way to encourage and check up on the girls in hospital, sending them wishes of well-being and encouraging them to get better soon.
“The trauma counselling has begun and we have a programme in place to ensure we can start getting the girls on track again,” she said.
Hayes-Hill said the school hadn’t yet received a report on what caused the accident, and the incident was under investigation by the police special accident unit which investigates bus accidents.
“The police are being run off their feet trying to get the information and I am asking everyone to let the people investigate and not to point fingers or look for someone to blame,” she said.
Education Department spokesman, Muzi Mahlambi, said they would investigate the matter with the Department of Transport.
Sandra Roopram, of Riccalin Travel and Tours, owners of the bus, said the matter was still being investigated and said the bus had been in a roadworthy condition.
The driver was tested for alcohol and no traces were found.
