Another accident involving learners occurred on the R40 near Mbombela, during which 11 children sustained slight injuries.
According to the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison’s spokesperson, Moeti Mmusi, the accident occurred at about 07:30 and involved a minibus taxi and a bakkie.
Mmusi said the 11 learners and the minibus taxi driver sustained slight injuries and were taken to Rob Ferreira Hospital. The bakkie driver also sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital for medical attention.
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“At the moment, it is not clear what caused the accident, however, we suspect it was human error, because the road on which the accident occurred was clear. The weather was good, so there was no reason for the accident to occur. We are worried about the frequent accidents that involve public transport and learners, and we call on drivers to always obey the rules of the road,” he said.
Mmusi added that even though they are grateful there was no loss of life, they are very concerned about these incidents and said the drivers need to ensure the safety of the people they are transporting.
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“We have noticed that some of the drivers tend to disobey the rules of the road when they are running late. They should rather arrive late at school than early at the hospital. We also call on taxi associations to speak to their drivers to prevent unnecessary accidents,” he said.
Investigations into the cause of the accident are under way.
