The Gauteng provincial department of transport says preliminary reports into the Vanderbijlpark scholar transport crash, in which 12 learners died, suggest that the driver was not licenced to operate the vehicle.
Gauteng Department of Transport spokesperson Lesiba Mpya said indications were that the Toyota Quantum was also not licensed to transport learners.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday morning, Mpya cautioned that investigations were still ongoing and were being led by the South African Police Service (SAPS).
“We have received a preliminary report that are in the public domain. There are speculative reports as well that we have received. At this current moment, we are still verifying those particular reports and this points us to the fact that the driver might have been unlicensed, including the vehicle itself.
“At the current moment we are still depending on the police’s investigations, with the information we have at our disposal,” he said.
On Monday, reported that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi expressed shock and sadness following a horrific crash in which 12 learners were killed in the private scholar transport incident in Vanderbijlpark, in the Vaal.
The learners from different primary and secondary schools were travelling in a Toyota Quantum on Monday morning when the vehicle collided with a truck.
Speaking to journalists at the crash scene, Lesufi said he was overwhelmed by the tragedy. Distressed parents gathered at the crash site alongside emergency services and police officers.
“It’s an unbearable situation, an unbearable scene. The investigating team has just briefed me, but there are one or two things that I still need. It is clear that the taxi was trying to overtake several cars and unfortunately, it was confronted by the truck,” he said.
Lesufi said the truck driver attempted to swerve to avoid the collision, but it was too late.
The premier said the growing private scholar transport sector urgently needed stricter regulation.
“I really feel that we have left this sector unregulated for quite some time. I said to the MEC (Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane) now, I want him and the MEC for transport to immediately find a way of finding an available date for us to go and meet with this sector. I really feel that we need to engage this sector.
“Remember, within the scholar transport we have some regulations but the private scholar transport system, I think there are lots and lots of loose ends and unfortunately, this is the price we have paid this morning,” said Lesufi.
Gauteng provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said the driver of the scholar transport vehicle was also injured and had been taken to the hospital. A case of culpable homicide has been opened.
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