Cape Town – An operation manned by mostly local men to retrieve the bodies of the 25 people killed and the 72 injured in a bus accident lasted for more than eight hours in the Eastern Cape yesterday.
The small, quiet village of Qolweni in Nxaxhu, outside Centane, saw hundreds of shocked onlookers gathering at the scene of the carnage to help with rescue efforts.
The AB350 bus, contracted by the provincial government to service rural routes, was travelling from the coastal village of Chebe carrying people, mostly pensioners, to Butterworth for shopping via Centane town. It had left Chebe at around 7am. The accident happened at about 7:40am.
By early evening yesterday, 25 people were confirmed dead with fears that the toll might rise.
The last survivor to be rescued was a man at about 3.24pm.
According to one of the survivors, the bus lost control near a cliff in
Qolweni after a mechanical failure.
Among those injured was a 3-year-old whose mother, according to villagers, was killed.
The toddler was airlifted to hospital in East London with serious injuries.
The local men and private taxi operators first on the scene had started rescuing those injured and taking them to the nearby Thafalofefe Hospital.
A survivor, Bukelwa Nkonki, said the bus was travelling at high speed.
“I was sitting by the window on the second row from the back seat.
“The bus started to sway around and I heard people screaming.
“The bus fell off the cliff on its left side and fortunately it ejected me.
“It left me there before rolling down the cliff and I was not injured,” said Nkonki.
“I immediately got up and rushed to the injured. I rescued a lot of people including my mother and the 3-year-old toddler. The people were badly injured and some had already died,” Nkonki said.
Nkonki said the driver was new to the route. “He had been driving for three days and was speeding. We complained last week that he was speeding.”
Resident Matutu Maxathasi was among the first at the scene.
“It was very bad. People were badly injured but we helped the survivors, carrying them up the cliff. Some were crying for help under the trees and some under the bus.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his sadness and concern at the “horrific bus crash”.
Ramaphosa has directed Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula and the
Eastern Cape government to reach
out to affected families and provide
the necessary assistance, as well as to establish the factors that led to the tragedy.
“This is a sad day for the people of the Eastern Cape and our nation at large. This tragedy leaves our country deeply saddened and forces us to focus yet again on the need for transport providers and other road users to exercise care and consideration on our roads.
“We must take care of one another as compatriots and, from this incident, we see the need for us to be especially considerate towards elderly persons and children who depend on others to be conveyed around communities and the country.
“Safer roads begin with safer
attitudes and behaviour. This tragedy
is, sadly, yet another wake-up call to
all of us to ensure that we arrive alive
and those who are entrusted to our
care arrive alive,” said Ramaphosa.
Mbalula said: “We are committed
to expediting the investigation
and ensure that it is concluded
speedily. We remain committed to
strengthening our measures aimed at
ensuring the safety of our people on
the roads.”
Safety and Transport MEC
Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe visited
the scene yesterday promising
counselling for the survivors and
affected families.
Police said a case of culpable
homicide was under investigation by
Centane SAPS.
The ages and the genders of the
deceased are still being checked
by forensic officials.
The driver of
the bus is amongst the deceased
passengers. The cause of the accident
is unknown and will form part of the
investigation.
Eastern Cape Police commissioner
Liziwe Ntshinga said: “We wish to
express our deepest condolences
to the families and friends of the
deceased persons.”