Durban - A commission of inquiry into the deaths of seven aspirant traffic officers in KwaZulu-Natal was nearing formation, premier Zweli Mkhize said on Tuesday.
Mkhize said a commissioner had been approached and that “as soon as we get the okay, we are ready to move”.
Permission for a judicial inquiry had to be obtained at a national level and there were “processes to go through” before it could be established, he said.
Mkhize was briefing reporters in Durban, where he is attending a provincial government lekgotla.
The seven aspirant traffic officers died during a 4km run, which was part of a fitness test at the Harry Gwala stadium, in Pietermaritzburg, in December.
One of the seven allegedly committed suicide. They had responded to a Road Traffic Inspectorate recruitment drive.
More than 34,000 people had qualified to apply for the 90 advertised trainee posts.
A total of 15,600 applicants attended the fitness test on Thursday, December 27, and a similar number on the Friday. An unknown number of them collapsed due to the heat. Many were taken to hospital.
Mkhize declined to say when he expected the nod for the commission to be formed. - Sapa