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AFTERMATH: The wreckage of a Putco bus that claimed the lives of 19 commuters on Monday. Photo: REUTERS

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It expressed shock at a bus crash that claimed 19 lives near Meyerton in the Vaal Triangle, on Monday.

"We are concerned for the commuters using these buses. I can confirm that Putco are on our agenda. The operations at Putco have been on our agenda for a while now," acting chairwoman Refilwe Mogale said.

On Monday morning, a Putco bus driver lost control of his vehicle and it crashed through the railing of a bridge before plunging 10-metres to the ground, landing on its side. Fifty-five people were injured, three of them critically. The bus driver was among those killed.

Mogale, members of political parties and other concerned parties intended visiting the crash scene, the injured and the families of those who died.

"We will start at the accident scene where we will get an accident report. This report is very important for when we look into Putco and their operations," Mogale said.

"We will then go to the various hospitals to provide support to the victims. We are in the process of making arrangements to visit the families of the deceased."

Gauteng safety and security spokesman Thapelo Moiloa said department MEC Faith Mazibuko would visit the injured during the week.

"Right now we are still trying to link up with the hospital in order to arrange the visit," Moiloa said.

Transport Minister Ben Martins has urged the authorities to investigate all possible reasons for the accident.

"No effort should be spared in determining the cause of this horrific incident," he said after visiting the scene on Monday.

"Road traffic management authorities must leave no stone unturned in their probe."

Martins urged Putco to work with the authorities to expedite the investigation into the cause of the crash.

On Monday, Putco spokesman Raphiri Matsaneng said the bus which crashed passed a roadworthy test on June 14.

Comments

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Fri May 24 14:39:00 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 27, 2012

Knoxmann

Putco must just shut down as they dont consider the lives of their commuters by NOT looking after their fleet in terms of service and so forth. Their buses are forever on the side of a freeway leaving commuters stranded all the time,
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Jun 27, 2012

Doculam

While you visit the survivors, ask them what they observed and experienced. Various of them already said that the driver was speeding excessively - there you go, in this case, that is what caused the accident. Deal with Putco's other issues as well rapidly, as you were supposed to do a long time ago.
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Jun 27, 2012

selala

Yes its about time to deal with this Putco busses, are these official waiting for something bigger than what have just happend before they could take drastic steps? I mean its been far too long for our government to have acted against this Company.They get money from our goverment but yet they fail the commuters each and everyday. Their busses are always full and always get stuck in every freeway of Jhb yet our giverment turned a blind eye on them. But Companies like Raodlink and others are always beung investigated once they get into accidents. Fares are set to increase yet theis services are not improving. There is a need for a Brt or other bus company to compete with this Putco Company.Why should Taxpayers suffer while they pay tax and have to be packed like they are in these Putco busse?
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Jun 27, 2012

Papage

Let us hear the noise, just like it was RoadLinks, why nobody from the Government is not saying anything, is it because is Putco? Come on Minister, take all their buses off the road, look what they did to people at Moloto Road, surely this is a concern, does the government not investigate their own? come on people, we are not stupid
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Jun 27, 2012

Bhekikhaya

Husbands; Wives; Kids have been robbed their loved ones in a sad way some maybe asleep at that time of the morning, and I listened in the news to some stupid Putco Manager making excuses about piloting a tracking device, which I find it bull, there are tracking devices that are connected to vehicles that can give you full database of the vehicle's movements, to be blunt Putco is a public transport meant for black people in this country, hence they had a nerve to employ former Taxi Drivers who now makes our roads in the morning and the evening a hell and even a grave site, Arrogant, stupid, who change lanes without observing, driving on the yellow lane anytime thay want, driving pass red robots sometimes, stop in the middle of the road and yet there's a bus stop, Please Putco management, people are not about you making money, Example How many fatalities we had in the past years at the famous Moloto Road between former kwaNdebele and Pretoria, someone must be arrested if King III has any effect to these greedy management and shareholders
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Jun 27, 2012

Firefly

People must just stop gibelaling them!


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Jun 27, 2012

Papage

They do what they do because ANC will never terminate their services, why? they belong to the Scheme
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Jun 27, 2012

Stumaeza

TO HELL WITH PUTCO
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Jun 27, 2012

lifevhi

this bus driver they drive like they in races at kayalami i am telling you guys metrobus from soweto they drive overspeeding when the buses are full, sometimes they even jump to riavaya boundry line overspeeding with a double deck bus. so this must be a lesson to you metrobus. sometimes taxis are atlest safe than this buses, try metrobus from soweto one day
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Jun 27, 2012

BraClepps

This is very irritating,in South Africa we are reactionaries. We wait until something happens and only then we start shouting. We all know how bus drivers treat us on the road,they are worse than taxis. I mean really no one can challenge a bus, this guys when they force their way through you can't stop them. This time RAF must make Putco to pay those families. This is the third serious Putco bus in six month, something must be done. as much as Road Link was challenged by the minister, we want to see this happening against Putco.I use Metro bus,some of their busses as well are poor.
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