Grieving parents blame driver for crash that killed 6 school kids

Inconsolable families of the children who died when a train hit their scholar transport bus went to the scene of the crash on Thursday morning to collect bags, shoes and other items that were scattered around.

Five children died instantly after the crash at Wonderfontein outside Middleburg while the sixth died in hospital a while later.

Ten other children are in hospital. Both the bus driver and train driver escaped with slight injuries.

While picking up their children's scattered items, the grieving families were inconsolable and could not stop crying.

Others were blaming the driver, accusing him of having been drunk when the accident happened.

The children were coming from Morelig combined school in Wonderfontein outside Middleburg and were heading to Mafube village.

There were 30 of them in the bus.

One of the parents at the scene said the driver was always taking the children home late.

“Other children with other busses arrived around 2pm from school but those with this driver always arrive after 4pm.

“What we got from the surviving children is that the train hooted but the driver said he's entering [the level crossing] and that is how the accident happened.

“He was drunk and never respected the rules now we lost our children. Please government must do something,” pleaded the parents.

Jackie Macie, Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaison said claims that the driver was drunk were allegations that need to be tested by investigations.

Joyce Shabalala, whose one grandchild died and the other broke both legs, said she got a call while in town to rush to the scene.

She said her grandson, Katlego, was taken to hospital. Later, she was told that he had died.

“I'm their grandmother and it's very painful. I don't know what to do. Katlego was doing grade 9, Ntokozo (her other grandchild) is in grade 10 and her legs are broken,” said Shabalala.

An elderly man who didn't want to give his name said he went to the scene after the crash and wanted to removed his trapped grandchild from the wreckage himself out of sheer frustration but police stopped him.

The grandchild is one of the six children who died.

“I'm hurt about my grandchild. I heard a bus and a train were involved in an accident.

“I rushed and found him trapped there at the back. I tried removing him, but I was stopped by the authorities saying its them who have to do that,” he said.

Spokesperson of the department of community safety, security and liaison Moeti Mmusi said investigations were under way to determine the cause of the accident.

“Preliminary findings are that the bus driver tried entering or crossing the railway when the train was very close. That is why investigations are under way to find the real cause of the accident.

“However the law will take its cause in this,” said Mmusi.

Macie, educational MEC Cathy Dlamini, public works, road sand transport MEC, Thulasizwe Thomo, minister of education Siviwe Gwarube and deputy minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa were set to visit the school, the accident scene and the families of the children.