Oudtshoorn - The driver of the bus involved in an accident between George and Oudtshoorn appeared in the Oudtshoorn Magistrate's Court on Friday on ten counts of culpable homicide, Western Cape police said.
Gaurdner Govere, 25, would appear in court again on Wednesday for a formal bail application, Captain Malcolm Pojie said in a statement.
Pojie said ten people were killed in the accident on Wednesday morning on the N12, and not eleven as reported.
“Although police recovered eleven body bags on the scene it was later established by the pathology forensic services that two of the bags contained parts of the same body 1/8person 3/8.”
Eighteen others, nine seriously, were also injured in the accident, Western Cape traffic authorities said at the time.
“Ten people died at the scene and another person died in hospital,” the province's traffic chief Kenny Africa said at the time.
ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak said the bus, coming from Cape Town, was going around a bend, about 15km outside Oudtshoorn, when a car in front apparently swerved.
The bus went out of control and fell onto its side. Vermaak said paramedics and police had to climb into the bus to free some people who were trapped in the debris.
Among the injured was a five-year-old boy. He was found lying in the bus next to the body of his mother.
“He was awake but sustained serious fractures,” said Vermaak.
He was taken to a hospital in George.
Around 50 people were believed to be inside, excluding the dead.
The road between George and Oudtshoorn was closed for several hours as the scene was cleared.
Govere was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after preliminary investigations into the accident had been submitted and discussed with a senior state prosecutor, said Pojie.
Sapa