School bus and truck collide – 100 injured
JUST IN: At least 100 injured after truck and school bus collided on the N12 in Westonaria yesterday.
At least 100 people were injured after a truck and school bus collided on the N12 in Westonaria on Tuesday afternoon.
The West Rand Police Cluster has advised that the Westonaria police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision, which occurred at about 3pm.
When ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene shortly before 4pm, they found a large group of people walking around on the scene.
Also Read: Two schoolboys die in tragic car crash
According to ER24 spokesperson, Ineke van Huyssteen, those involved sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious. Most of the injured persons were schoolchildren aged between eight and 14 years. One child, and the truck driver, sustained serious injuries. The ER24 Oneplan helicopter airlifted the child to hospital for further medical care. All remaining victims were transported by various emergency service vehicles to the Leratong and Baragwanath hospitals for further care.
The exact circumstances surrounding the incident were not known to the paramedics but the Westonaria police were on the scene for further investigation.
According to them, both vehicles were travelling from Johannesburg to Potchefstroom when the accident occurred near the Libanon turn off.
A case of reckless and/or negligent driving was registered and investigation is under way.
The cluster commander, Lieutenant General Anna Mateisi, expressed her sympathy with the victims and their families and wished them a speedy recovery.
Fred Nel, DA Gauteng shadow Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Roads and Transport, said the Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC, Ismail Vadi, must prioritise an investigation into the tragic accident.
“It is uncertain at this stage what caused the accident, but as highlighted by this year’s road accident statistics for Gauteng, the rate of injury and death on the province’s roads remains much as it was in the past,” said Nel.
The DA wishes all involved in the accident a speedy recovery.
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