‘We don’t want to lose pupils’ – Gwarube says scholar transport ‘remains a big priority’

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says scholar transport safety is a priority for her department following a crash which claimed the lives of 11 pupils from two schools in Carletonville, Gauteng.

The accident took place in Kokosi-Wedela area in Merafong, west of Johannesburg, when a minibus taxi collided with a white Ford Ranger bakkie on Thursday.

The scholar transport vehicle overturned and caught fire, killing the driver and 11 pupils.

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According to the Gauteng Department of Education, 10 pupils were from Rocklands Primary School, while the other attended Laerskool Blyvooruitsig.

Additionally, seven other pupils were rushed to a medical facility for urgent medical attention.

One family lost four children, who were cousins, as a result of the fatal crash.

Scholar transport ‘a big priority’

Gwarube visited both schools on Friday, pledging her support to parents and staff.

“This is a tragedy of massive proportions. I came here to the school at Rocklands Primary because they have lost 10 of the 11 pupils who died yesterday and the staff are devastated.

“It was important for me to come and show my support,” she told journalists.

The minister acknowledged that scholar transport remained a huge issue, which required urgent attention.

READ MORE: ‘SA mourns with you’ – MECs visit families of Carletonville crash victims

“Scholar transport along with infrastructure is something that is very close to my heart because ultimately when learners go to school, they should not be in danger of being harmed on their way to school.

“Of course, it’s unclear; the investigation is still ongoing about this matter but scholar transport remains a big priority for us because we don’t want to lose learners.

“That is why I also want to go and send my condolences and my support to say I want the educators, principal and the parents of the school to know that they are not alone,” Gwarube said.

Watch the video below:

Transport had a permit?

Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has indicated that her department was yet to determine if the minibus taxi was licensed to transport pupils.

“This was a private transport service provider. We don’t have much details because [the driver] also passed on in the accident, unfortunately for us and also the car [minibus] is burnt.

“The team is busy doing investigations for us so that we are able to give answers.

READ MORE: Limpopo mourns loss of 13 lives, including 10 teachers, in horror taxi crash

“As of now, we don’t have much answers, we don’t know whether the car was licensed accordingly and whether the driver or the owner had a permit to transport children.

“Our responsibility is to regulate… to make sure that vehicles are compliant. We are yet to get those details.

“It’s really a sad moment; 11 learners is a lot. We’re trying hard to make sure that we get finer details,” Diale-Tlabane said on Thursday.

Watch the video below:

Meanwhile, Matome Chiloane, the Gauteng Education MEC, assured the families of the deceased that the DNA identification process for the remaining bodies would commence on Friday.

Chiloane emphasised the province’s commitment to swiftly process identifications so that grieving families can lay their children to rest by the next weekend.

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