Just two weeks after the tragic death of a nine-year-old pupil in Empangeni, children are still being transported in overloaded and unroadworthy vehicles.
On Tuesday morning children in Hluhluwe narrowly escaped injury when the driver of the vehicle in which they were being transported, crashed into a bakkie and then a tree.
Transporting the children in a Venture certified to seat seven people, the vehicle contained 12 pupils ranging between the ages of four and 10.
According to an eyewitness the driver fled the scene immediately, leaving the children unattended in the vehicle.
All 12 pupils were taken to a local doctor for a general check-up, with one pupil receiving stitches.
A member of the Hluhluwe Primary School Governing Body who wishes to remain anonymous, said the school had been petitioning for a stronger police presence to conduct vehicle checks.
‘This is ridiculous! Our children are our future and we cannot harm and lose lives over an extra hundred rands,’ he said.
Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said, ‘We are very disappointed and disturbed. It is every parent’s desire to send their child to school and expect them to arrive home safely. Police must investigate why the driver ran away,’ saaid Mahlambi.
‘My department is hopeful that by working with the Department of Transport we will be able to identify and find a solution to move forward regarding school transport systems. Incidents such as this deeply worry us,’ said Mahlambi.
Outcry
The tragic accident has evoked public uproar over the large number of unroadworthy and overloaded vehicles transporting children, who have no seatbelts or other restraints, as well as the competency and qualifications of the drivers.
‘Am livid about this, as these people are still driving around with kids, windows open and taking corners sharply. Waiting for the next child to fall out & die before these municipal traffic officials do something! They actually sleep at night knowing there are deaths that they should be preventing of our children,’ said Carol Anne Cornish-Marriott on the Zululand Observer Facebook page.
‘Sadly, this is a vicious circle. Until people living in rural communities say no to this and demand acceptable means of transport, this will not go away. The back of a bakkie is a goods compartment and it’s unlawful to carry persons in a goods compartment – no seats or seat-belts,’ commented Andre J. Dannhauser.
It’s all well and good for everyone to complain about the disgraceful and dangerous transportation of kids today, however many parents and so called family members who claim to LOVE their kids choose to allow kids to stand in the car between the two front seats. Isn’t that contradicting the issue about kids safety? An accident can occur at any moment, even if you are being a cautious driver. Parents need to be careful of how they send their kids to school as well as when they are driving to the mall. REMEMBER SAFETY FIRST!!!