Grade 5 pupil killed, 80 others injured in bus crash en route from sports trip

A grade 5 pupil was killed and 80 pupils were injured in a road accident when the bus they were travelling in from a sports event lost control in Limpopo at the weekend.

Pupils from Northampton Primary School in the Mopani East education district were travelling back from Craighead Primary School in the Mopani West district after a sports trip on Saturday.

The driver of one of the buses the pupils were travelling in lost control of the vehicle, veered off the road, crashed into blue gum trees and overturned. This happened on the road between Kgapane and Tzaneen.

A grade 5 pupil lost his life in the accident, the Limpopo education department said.

ER24 attended to the scene just before 8pm and found the boy trapped between two seats inside the bus. Several children had already climbed out of the bus and made their way to the roadside, spokesperson Russel Meiring said.

“Unfortunately the child had already succumbed to his injuries. Nothing could be done for him and he was declared dead.”

He said 86 other patients were treated, including 80 children aged between six and 11 with injuries ranging from minor to severe. Six adults suffered minor to moderate injuries and all patients were transported to nearby hospitals, said Meiring.  

Four pupils, two school governing board (SGB) members and a teacher were recovering in hospital on  Monday.

Limpopo education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya sent condolences to the family of the deceased boy.

TimesLIVE