'Taxi driver is also a family man'
The magistrate - who once lost his own child - expressed his sympathy "as a parent" for the families of the dead children and even to the taxi driver's family
The taxi driver remains in custody
The driver of the taxi involved in last week's horrific Cape Flats level crossing accident appeared briefly in the Blue Downs Magistrate's Court today.
Jacob Humphreys, 55, of Elsiesrivier, faces ten counts of culpable homicide, although this may change.
Nine school children died when his taxi allegedly jumped a line of cars waiting at the Blackheath level crossing and was hit by an oncoming train. A 10th child died in hospital.
At the request of the prosecutor, magistrate Gerald Hattingh postponed the case to September 7 so that the State could gather bail information.
He ordered that Humphreys remain in custody.
The taxi man was arrested on Sunday immediately after being discharged from hospital. He smiled at relatives in the public gallery as he entered court this morning, waving to them and calling out "hello".
Humphreys, wearing a blue tracksuit top, listened as prosecutor Quintin Appels told the magistrate that the 10 culpable homicide counts were what he faced "at this stage".
A decision on the final charges and how many there would be, would be made later and would depend on how the investigation proceeded.
Advocate William Fisher, who appeared for Humphreys, said although Humphreys' injuries from the crash had been "cared for", his client was an asthma sufferer and would need pills and a pump in prison.
Hattingh said he did not have a high opinion of medical care in prisons, and it would be better if Humphreys' family supplied him with the medication he needed.
"Because in jail it's a hopeless situation," he said.
Magistrate Hattingh said he wanted to express his sympathy for the families of the dead children.
"Not just as a magistrate, but as a parent."
He himself had lost a 13-year-old child 24 years ago.
He also expressed sympathy for Humphreys, because of the position the taxi man was in. "He also has family," the magistrate said.
Humphreys was hurried out of the court by police after the hearing.
Many of the people in the public gallery appeared to be relatives of Humphreys.
JerseyNo10
I dont have sympathy for that taxi driver if he joined the line like other cars those children might still be alive today.He must rod in jail.Report Abuse
Nakedi
Shame man,poor kids...I feel for the driver and his family but 10 lives were lost ,he should pay for what he did,he should have waited like the other divers did...Report Abuse
Manosh
getting sympathy from the magistrate is not helping the families that lost their kids in this matter. he shouldn't be even saying that in front of this man in court....why jump the queue .....????? this horrible accident was just senseless..Report Abuse
MTT
Ja he is too old for these action,he must rot in jail,he is not a good axample to his own kids as well.Report Abuse
Gudstuff
This is no culpable homicide but pure murder. He jumped the queue intentionally. Pls...Report Abuse
MG123
He did not act like a family man he acted like a bloody killer.This was not an accident rather recklessness on his side as always displayed by his fellow taxi drivers on our roads everyday and night. He couldn`t wait for his turn to cross over the railway rail just saw it fit to gamble with the lives of poor defenceless souls.I bet he woudn`t have done the same if those were his children in that minibus.He does not have my sympathy at all, he must just rot in jail. Victims are always losers in this country just like electorates.
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KGOO
Taxi drivers are all reckless drive forgetting that they carry the souls he must not go unpunishedReport Abuse
BLAKSILQ
Its the same thing all over again. I have no sympathy because such things wouldnt hapen if rules were followed. Rules are there for a reason but some people thin they are above it all.Report Abuse