Parents knew of overloading

29/01/2015 DURBAN: ABANTWANA abafunda esikoleni iFezokuhle Primary school eMgungundlovu behlangane enkonzweni eb isesikolleni yabafundi abavelelwe umshophi begingqika nemoto bashona. ISITHOMBE: NQOBILE MBONAMBI

29/01/2015 DURBAN: ABANTWANA abafunda esikoleni iFezokuhle Primary school eMgungundlovu behlangane enkonzweni eb isesikolleni yabafundi abavelelwe umshophi begingqika nemoto bashona. ISITHOMBE: NQOBILE MBONAMBI

Published Jan 30, 2015

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Pietermaritzburg - While there had not been “traffic blitzes” to check bakkies transporting children for overloading, they would be considered in future, KZN Transport MEC Willies Mchunu said on Thursday.

He was speaking after seven children died when a bakkie loaded with 23 children crashed into a house in Imbali Township near Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.

Mchunu admitted there was a policy that bakkies “must not be used to carry people”.

But, he said, the practice could not be stopped because there were problems finding alternatives.

He said traffic laws were too lenient and allowed people to “get away with murder”.

 Bereaved parents were facing a tough reality on Thursday - some of them knew their children had been packed like sardines into the back of the Toyota bakkie that carried them to Fezokuhle Primary School.

While some had spoken up and asked the owner of the vehicle to do something, most said they had no option as all they could afford was the R220 a month for the service.

Simphiwe Chonco, the father of Sinethemba, 7, who died in the smash, said he had no option but to use the bakkie.

“I knew of the overloading, but there was nothing I could do. I feel heartsore.”

He said she had been full of life, happy and always smiling.

Sibonginkosi Dladla, the father of Lwandile, 12, who is in intensive care, said the bakkie was always overloaded.

“I used to complain and she (the bakkie’s owner) used to say she will make a plan. What could I do? I had no option but to send my child. It only cost R220 a month.”

S’bonisa Vilakazi, father of nine-year-old Olwethu, was very close to his son.

“My son liked helping me in the car. He liked motor engines and helping me fix cars.”

 Mchunu visited the crash site and met the families, accompanied by Education MEC Peggy Nkonyeni and Msunduzi and uMgundundlovu District mayors Chris Ndlela and Yusuf Bhamjee.

On Thursday a minibus taxi carrying 22 children rear-ended a bus on Mangosuthu Highway in Umlazi.

 They were travelling to different schools around Durban.

The driver and two of his passengers were severely injured and the other 19 sustained moderate to minor injuries.

After the Umlazi accident parents pleaded with KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu and Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo to sort out the issue of school transport when they visited the children at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital.

“I believe that government-subsidised transport would be safer and cheaper than the private transport we have been forced into with no alternative,” said Nomusa Mcanyana.

Her daughter Yoliswa, 6, and nephew Ngcebo Ndlovu, 5, of Wentworth Primary, were among those injured.

Yoliswa and 16 others were discharged, but her cousin had to remain for observation as he had head injuries.

“Other countries have buses dedicated to transporting school pupils and I think South Africa should do the same,” she said.

The premier said he was planning to meet Nkonyeni and Mchunu to discuss ways to improve the safety of pupils on the roads.

“In the meantime we are calling on drivers to remember that they are not carrying bags but human beings with lives that need to be respected and protected… treat them like your own children,” said the premier.

On Thursday afternoon, the drivers of other bakkies carried on as normal, packing children on the back.

The owner of the crashed bakkie, Maria Mthimkhulu, sympathised with the families of the victims.

Her daughter Lungi, 33, who was the driver, was in a critical condition.

She said the family had been transporting children for more than 30 years and the bakkie was “not old” or unroadworthy and that Lungi had been driving children for more than five years.

The Mercury

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