Tragic bus accident sparks concern
Two learners from Modderspruit Primary School on the outskirts of Bela-Bela sustained serious injuries on Friday, 23 February, in a bus accident in Bela-Bela.
On their way home, the bus carrying 38 learners from the school went over the junction in Chris Hani Street and slammed into the boundary wall of Forever Resorts. The impact was so big that the bus ploughed through the wall and turned over on an embankment inside the resort’s grounds.
Matome Taueatsoala, spokesperson for the Limpopo Department of Education (LDBE), confirmed that the accident occurred due to a brake failure.
According to Taueatsoala, one learner was transported to Mokopane Hospital, while another was taken to a hospital in Pretoria for treatment of their injuries. Other learners and the driver received support and medical attention at the scene of the accident and were transported to the local hospital which is adjacent to the scene of the accident. The extent of their injuries was not made available immediately after the accident. Die Pos could not obtain any details of the extent of injuries as the information regarding children is prohibited without the parent’s consent.
“We are at a loss for words to have learned that this high number of learners have been involved in this accident. It is unforgivable for transport service providers to use unroadworthy vehicles while ferrying our learners. As a department, we practice zero tolerance regarding those who disobey the rules of the road and gamble with young lives. We pray for each learner to recover speedily,” said MEC Lerule-Ramakhanya.
Die Pos met with a parent who had two sons traveling on the bus. She wished to stay anonymous. She expressed shock and anger upon learning that her two boys, aged 11 and 13, were involved in the incident. The parent emphasized paying transport fees for private transport to prevent her children from being transported on the bus. Initially, she did not respond with great concern for her boys when she heard about the accident because her sons had no reason to be on the bus. The lack of communication from the school or LDBE regarding the two learners’ presence on the bus raised concerns and highlighted a need for improved notification procedures.
The concerned parent revealed that one of her boys sustained a spinal injury in the accident. Despite the severity of the incident, the parent claimed that information about counseling services at Maope High School was only provided by an SGB member on Tuesday, February 27. The parent questioned why they were not informed promptly about her children’s involvement in the accident.
Attempts to obtain comments from Modderspruit Primary School’s principal, Zanele Ledwaba, proved unfruitful as she referred inquiries back to the Department of Education. Unfortunately, Die Pos was also unable to get a response from LDBE.
Despite the tragic nature of the accident, the community’s swift response on the day of the incident drew commendation. Adriaan Harper, the general manager of Forever Resort Bela-Bela, praised the community for their quick and professional actions. Harper emphasized how the incident showcased the community’s ability to unite and collaborate in times of need.
