Durban - A former taxi driver today received a 10 year sentence after he was responsible for a horrific crash that claimed the lives of five school children in Ntuzuma last year.
Mondli Zisongo, 29, was sentenced in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court.
In her judgement, Magistrate Ela Grange said the evidence that was presented by prosecutor, Kaystree Ramsamujh was overwhelming.
“The defence’s case is filled with inconsistencies,” Grange said.
Last year the Daily News reported that Zisongo was driving a taxi that had school children who were attending their first day of school at the beginning of the year.
The taxi that Zisongo was driving hit a bus that was driving up the hill and crashed into the bus flinging some of the children in the taxi onto the road. During the trial it emerged that children were scattered along the road.
Grange said she did not believe Zisongo’s argument that the children had squeezed their way in and he had no control of how many got into the vehicle. “I find this highly unlikely… the responsibility is on him not to overload,” she said.
The 16 seater taxi had 22 passengers inside. Referencing SAPS collision expert Warrant Officer Fredericus Snodgrass, she said the taxi was not in a roadworthy condition.
Grange said the defence’s witnesses were selective in what they testified as some said there were potholes on the road as pictures during the testimony showed there were none.
She sentenced him to 10 years for each count, with five years to be suspended and all sentences were to run concurrently. His licence was revoked for 10 years and after sentencing she told a court orderly to immediately take his drivers licence to get it suspended.