Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has instructed the Road Traffic Management Corporation to urgently convene with stakeholders in the bus industry in light of recent accidents involving buses in South Africa.
The Minister conducted a media briefing at Pelonomi Hospital in the Free State, where she visited bus crash survivors.
During the last seven days, at least 19 people have died in bus related accidents in two separate incidents in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.
Last year, several bus accidents caused alarm, with one of the worst taking 45 lives in Limpopo during the Easter pilgrimage to Moria.
“We’ve been through quite a considerable period of time where we haven’t had bus accidents. But now, in the light of these two accidents that have occurred, it’s very important that we call all stakeholders together and we emphasise the issues of appropriate driver conduct in all kinds of weather conditions, making sure that vehicles are in a roadworthy condition, and adherence to things like speed.
“We don’t know the cause of these two accidents and I’m not pointing fingers at any particular individuals. But in my view, prevention is better than cure and it is very important that we urgently bring all of our bus companies and once again reiterate the message of safe driver behaviour so that we save lives,” she said.
Turning to the accident in KwaZulu-Natal, where a bus rolled down an embankment, killing at least 10 people on board, the Minister passed her condolences to those who have lost loved ones in the incident.
The RTMC has confirmed that the accident is under investigation.
“A team from the Road Traffic Management Corporation has started with the South African Police Service to establish the cause of the crash that claimed the lives… of people on the N2 between Richard’s Bay and Shaka’s Kraal.
“The crash involved a passenger bus from Pontys Transport – Tongaat. Preliminary reports suggest that the crash happened due to a tyre failure, causing the driver to lose control. The bus subsequently went through a crash barrier, plunged down an embankment and overturned.
“The incident resulted in [fatalities] and… four individuals sustained serious injuries, 35 suffered minor injuries, and 12 remained uninjured... The precise cause of the crash is still subject to an ongoing investigation,” the RTMC said in a statement on Sunday. – SAnews.gov.za
