POLOKWANE – While the police are still obtaining statements from those involved in last week’s collision between a bus and a minibus taxi in which two learners died, two schools in the city and the victims’ families are coming to terms with this tragic loss.
The collision occurred around 14:00 on the corner of Plein and Van Boeschoten streets, the police’s Capt Lesiba Ramoshaba confirmed.
Read more: Boy (13) dies after taxi and bus collide in Polokwane
The head-on collision resulted in six children being critically injured, with two of them having been entrapped. Another four were seriously injured; two sustained moderate injuries and three suffered minor injuries, according to emergency services personnel from ER24.
Ramoshaba on Monday said the accident report showed that the two drivers sustained serious injuries and both remained in hospital.
As far as could be established, the children that were transported were mainly from four schools in the city – Capricorn High School, Pietersburg Comprehensive School (PCS), Laerskool Pietersburg Noord Primary, and Pietersburg English Medium School (PEMPS).
Maropeng Malatji, a Gr 9 learner at Capricorn High School succumbed to his injuries, while Mosima Phofele, a Gr 1 learner from PEMPS died in hospital on Sunday, Education spokesperson, Mike Maringa said.
PCS principal Rudi Fick confirmed that five learners from the school were involved in the collision while Noordskool confirmed that two siblings (Gr 1 and Gr 5) and another learner from Gr 4 were injured.
On Monday, senior managers of the Education Department visited the Malatji family to convey their condolences.
Three learners remain in the ICU unit, Maringa further confirmed.
Education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya said the department had sent social workers to the affected schools for a debriefing and psychosocial support.
Several efforts to reach the Bahwaduba Bus Service went unsuccessful.
The police confirmed that while the cause of the collision had not been determined yet, a case of culpable homicide has been opened.
