The four children from the Hlalele family who perished in a horrific accident on Wednesday were using the minibus taxi for the first time after their old scholar transport was ditched for making them late.
These are details revealed by Gauteng MEC for roads and transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela after her visit to the Hlalele family home in Kokosi in Fochville, on the West Rand, on Thursday.
The allegation, provincial education spokesperson Steve Mabona said, was that the taxi overturned and burst into flames after being hit by a bakkie from behind.
Authorities said the deceased burnt beyond recognition.
The four cousins – Reneilwe, seven, Thato, eight, Hlompo, 11, and Sihle, 12, – were all pupils at Rocklands Primary School and were set to start their third-term of schooling after the winter break when the accident occurred.
Diale-Tlabela’s visit to some of the bereaved families, together with MEC for education Matome Chiloane, comes a day after 11 pupils and their driver died in a tragic accident on the N12 near Elands Road in the Kokosi-Wedela area in Merafong.
“Mama [the children’s grandmother] just explained to us the conditions [of the taxi] that these children used. It was their first time [travelling in the taxi] and [they] were coming from another transport with a challenge of bringing kids late.
“They opted [to get a different transport], believing that it is a better transport, and unfortunately this happened to their children…”
The children’s uncle Aviva Manqa said: “The children’s grandmother said the taxi was transporting children but it did not have proper seats but tins.
“We just want the investigations to be fast so that we can get closure. The children who died were smart. It’s two boys and two girls. Their mothers are still young themselves.
“All we found at the scene was ashes. We discouraged my nieces from going [to the scene] and elders went.”
Diale-Tlabela said the department was yet to determine if the minibus taxi was licensed to be transporting pupils, adding that blood samples were taken from the driver of the bakkie.
“This was a private transport service provider. We don’t have much details because he [driver] also passed on in the accident, unfortunately for us and also the car [minibus] is burnt. The team is busy doing investigations for us so that we are able to give answers,” said Diale-Tlabane.
“As of now, we don’t have much answers, we don’t know whether the car was licensed accordingly and whether the driver or the owner had a permit to transport children. Our responsibility is to regulate…to make sure that vehicles are compliant. We are yet to get those details. It’s really a sad moment…11 learners is a lot. We’re trying hard to make sure that we get finer details.
“The message to parents is, let’s verify, let’s make sure that kids travel safely to school, especially when they use private scholar transport. To the service providers themselves, let’s care enough [for] our children. Let’s not think profits. [Children] are our future and we can’t subject them to what they are subjected to on a daily basis.”
She said the government would work hard to deal with challenges within the education transport sector.
“There’s a need… Maybe we should go back to the drawing board on how do we regulate it. It’s not everyone who should be in the business, obviously.
“It’s one of the businesses that are taken for a ride that if I can do it, anyone can do it any day, and not really following the processes of being properly licensed.
“R700 is a lot to be paid to someone who doesn’t really care about them [the children]…”
Marefong deputy mayor, Mogomotsi Sello, said the identification process would begin on Friday through DNA testing.
“The Kokosi community hall will be utilised to meet with families for DNA tests,” he said.
Nomathemba Sesing, 32, who lost her nine-year-old son Lethabo, described how his sister who survived the crash had escaped the blazing fire by breaking the back window of the car.
“She blames herself because she couldn’t save her brother. She always felt responsible for her brother. She told me that she wanted to go back into the taxi but there was already a fire and the two teachers who were already at the scene didn’t allow her to go back and save her little brother.
“I arrived at the accident and could see that the [taxi] driver had already passed on. He was such a nice guy and I think even if he did survive the accident, I would tell him that I don’t blame him, that it wasn’t his fault. He loved our kids and may his soul rest in peace,” said Sesing.
Sesing described Lethabo as a naughty, bubbly and funny child.
“Lethabo laughed in every situation and it was irritating at times but we were used to it… I was impressed by his second-term results. I lost an angel.”
Source: SowetanLIVE
