The morning after the lives of 18 school children were brutally cut short in a horrific crash near Bronkhorstspruit‚ life for some is continuing as normal.
Two men‚ one the driver of the bus‚ were also killed.
Herders walked their cattle through the intersection where the minibus taxi collided with a truck‚ metres away from where the little bodies were laid out next to each other by emergency services — burned beyond recognition.
A cock crowed‚ onlookers stopped to take photos of the scene — now merely a large patch of burned grass and debris.
Messages of condolence pour in for families of 20 killed in horror taxi crashMessages of condolence pour in for families of 20 killed in horror taxi crash
Some picked through the wreckage‚ loading pieces of mangled steel onto a bakkie to be sold as scrap.
By 11am‚ police and officials from the departments of education and social development began arriving at the Wolvenkop community hall‚ in the small village where the victims had stayed.
Some family members of the dead are also expected to attend where they will be further debriefed.
Seven children miraculously survived the impact and subsequent fire‚ and were taken to hospitals in KwaMhlanga‚ Witbank and Mamelodi.
Times Media can report that at least two of the children who survived were discharged from KwaMhlanga last night.
Their condition has not yet been confirmed.
Verena SAPS station commander Captain Lesiba Solomon Mulala confirmed a case of culpable homicide was opened.
“We are still piecing together all the information but for now‚ we are investigating a case of culpable homicide. This could change as the investigation goes on‚” he said.
Mulala also confirmed that a team of special investigators from the Road Traffic Management Corporation was dispatched to lead the probe into the cause of the crash.
Families of taxi crash victims warned their bodies ‘burnt beyond recognition’ - Siphe Macanda
The Mpumalanga Department of Health has appealed to family members of the 18 pupils who died in a minibus taxi crash near Bronkhorstspruit to be patient with regard to viewing their remains‚ as pathologists will only examine the bodies on Monday.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting at Wolvenkop Community Hall on Saturday‚ the department of health’s Dr Girly Thwala said: “Parents should not try to go to the hospital’s morgue as they will not be allowed to do any viewing as they will not recognise their children. They were burnt beyond recognition. Our pathologists still have to do their job and we will update them‚ after that.”
Five committees have been established to coordinate preparations for memorial and funeral services for the dead pupils.
The committees that will be responsible for safety and security‚ transport‚ social and education support are made up of officials from the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provincial governments.
This was announced by Gauteng department of education chief director Zanele Mthembu during the stakeholders meeting.
She said that the department‚ working with other stakeholders‚ will assist families and the schools with counselling and other responsibilities.
A representative from the Mpumalanga government told the meeting that the premier’s office will take full responsibility for the preparations‚ while the committees continue with their work.
- Siphe Macanda
TMG Digital
Case of culpable homicide opened after horrific minibus taxi crash
The morning after the lives of 18 school children were brutally cut short in a horrific crash near Bronkhorstspruit‚ life for some is continuing as normal.
Two men‚ one the driver of the bus‚ were also killed.
Herders walked their cattle through the intersection where the minibus taxi collided with a truck‚ metres away from where the little bodies were laid out next to each other by emergency services — burned beyond recognition.
A cock crowed‚ onlookers stopped to take photos of the scene — now merely a large patch of burned grass and debris.
Some picked through the wreckage‚ loading pieces of mangled steel onto a bakkie to be sold as scrap.
By 11am‚ police and officials from the departments of education and social development began arriving at the Wolvenkop community hall‚ in the small village where the victims had stayed.
Some family members of the dead are also expected to attend where they will be further debriefed.
Seven children miraculously survived the impact and subsequent fire‚ and were taken to hospitals in KwaMhlanga‚ Witbank and Mamelodi.
Times Media can report that at least two of the children who survived were discharged from KwaMhlanga last night.
Their condition has not yet been confirmed.
Verena SAPS station commander Captain Lesiba Solomon Mulala confirmed a case of culpable homicide was opened.
“We are still piecing together all the information but for now‚ we are investigating a case of culpable homicide. This could change as the investigation goes on‚” he said.
Mulala also confirmed that a team of special investigators from the Road Traffic Management Corporation was dispatched to lead the probe into the cause of the crash.
Families of taxi crash victims warned their bodies ‘burnt beyond recognition’ - Siphe Macanda
The Mpumalanga Department of Health has appealed to family members of the 18 pupils who died in a minibus taxi crash near Bronkhorstspruit to be patient with regard to viewing their remains‚ as pathologists will only examine the bodies on Monday.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting at Wolvenkop Community Hall on Saturday‚ the department of health’s Dr Girly Thwala said: “Parents should not try to go to the hospital’s morgue as they will not be allowed to do any viewing as they will not recognise their children. They were burnt beyond recognition. Our pathologists still have to do their job and we will update them‚ after that.”
Five committees have been established to coordinate preparations for memorial and funeral services for the dead pupils.
The committees that will be responsible for safety and security‚ transport‚ social and education support are made up of officials from the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provincial governments.
This was announced by Gauteng department of education chief director Zanele Mthembu during the stakeholders meeting.
She said that the department‚ working with other stakeholders‚ will assist families and the schools with counselling and other responsibilities.
A representative from the Mpumalanga government told the meeting that the premier’s office will take full responsibility for the preparations‚ while the committees continue with their work.
- Siphe Macanda
TMG Digital
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