GNT to be fined for any unroadworthy buses
Hefty fines will be issued to Great North Transport (GNT) if any of their unroadworthy buses are found on the roads
POLOKWANE – These were the words of department of transport spokesperson, Kagiso Mootane, following a bus accident on the R528 road in Magoebaskloof over the weekend, which claimed 10 lives and left 60 injured.
Mootane said the bus was travelling to Phalaborwa from the Holy City of Moria when it overturned on George’s Valley.
“The cause of the accident is still being investigated, but it seems the driver lost control of the bus and it overturned. No other vehicles were involved in the accident,” said Mootane.
Inspection of GNT fleet
Transport MEC, Mapula Mokaba-Phukwana said an inspection of GNT’s fleet showed that 14 buses were unroadworthy.
The company’s vehicles have been involved in at least four accidents since the beginning of the year.
But Mootane said not all buses have been taken off the road as was previously reported.
“There are still buses that are being inspected, and it is believed that more of them will be taken off the roads when the last report comes in later this afternoon or tonight,” she said.
She added that the company would not be fined for now, and would be given the opportunity to repair their buses. She however emphasised that hefty fines would be issued to GNT should any unroadworthy buses be found on the roads.
Accident is regrettable and unfortunate
GNT acting CEO, Nkhensani Hlungwane said the accident was regrettable and unfortunate.
“Central to the GNT’s service outlook is the safe and reliable transportation of commuters to all destinations in Limpopo. It is however unfortunate and regrettable that families lost their loves ones in this accident,” Hlungwane said in a statement.
On the question of the fleet being maintained regularly, he said the manufacturers, Scania and MAN did maintenance on the fleet as original equipment manufacturers to minimise errors of judgement on maintenance.
These services have been outsourced to them, he added.
Hlungwane further said GNT committed itself to work closely with law enforcement agencies and all affected parties and stakeholders to ensure the affected families were assisted with the applicable insurance and compensation.
