More than 40 children packed into a minibus taxi were injured in an accident while being transported to school near Verulam, north of Durban on Wednesday.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said the children, aged between seven and 13, were hurt in a secondary collision in the vicinity of Buffelsdraai.
He told TimesLIVE the children had been packed into the vehicle “like sardines”.
“It's shocking,” he said.
“Rusa received multiple calls from passing motorists reporting the collision.
“Paramedics were dispatched to the scene. On arrival we learnt that a Toyota Hilux bakkie was travelling in the direction of Verulam. The driver stopped in the emergency lane to alert authorities about a pedestrian who was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
“A minibus taxi transporting 44 children to Acacia Primary School in Verulam collided into the rear of the bakkie.
More than 40 KZN children crammed in taxi hurt after it crashes into stationary van
Image: Reaction Unit South Africa
More than 40 children packed into a minibus taxi were injured in an accident while being transported to school near Verulam, north of Durban on Wednesday.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said the children, aged between seven and 13, were hurt in a secondary collision in the vicinity of Buffelsdraai.
He told TimesLIVE the children had been packed into the vehicle “like sardines”.
“It's shocking,” he said.
“Rusa received multiple calls from passing motorists reporting the collision.
“Paramedics were dispatched to the scene. On arrival we learnt that a Toyota Hilux bakkie was travelling in the direction of Verulam. The driver stopped in the emergency lane to alert authorities about a pedestrian who was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
“A minibus taxi transporting 44 children to Acacia Primary School in Verulam collided into the rear of the bakkie.
Image: Reaction Unit South Africa
“The overloaded minibus veered into the oncoming lane and struck a pedestrian before it came to a stop.”
Balram said a seven-year-old girl was critically injured and rushed to hospital before paramedics arrived.
“The remaining children and injured pedestrian were transported to hospital by ambulance.
“The deceased pedestrian has not been identified yet.”
TimesLIVE reached out to the provincial education department and is awaiting a response.
TimesLIVE
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