Police have failed to arrest a school transport driver who allegedly crammed 17 children into her Ford Fiesta.
This was revealed after three of the school laaities were injured when the driver collided with a delivery truck near Parow on Tuesday afternoon.
Ward councillor Franchesca Walker got a skrik when she arrived at the scene and was told how many kids had been squashed like sardines into the tiny blue Ford.
“The accident happened just over the bridge on Jan van Riebeeck Road between Elsies River and Parow on Tuesday,” Walker says.
“It was just after 3pm and as I arrived, I saw that Elsies River SAPS, Traffic Services and Law Enforcement had already been called and were attending the scene.
“An ambulance had also arrived and there were three children being attended to for minor injuries.
“I got a fright when they pointed out a blue Ford Fiesta to me and explained that the female driver was transporting school children and the driver did not have the paperwork to transport children.
“Also, she was transporting 17 small school-going children in that vehicle that was clearly not suitable.”
Walker claims that while the details of the accident are not clear, the impact of the crash caused the delivery vehicle to land on its side.
She said the crowd watched in horror as the traumatised laaities cried in the street.
“The staff from Pick n Pay ran to comfort the children.
“Those who were not hurt were very traumatised and being there was so emotional.
“Parents started rocking up and it appears that it was learners from more than just one school,” Walker added.
The City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services referred enquiries to SAPS. However, police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said Elsies River SAPS has no record of the collision.
Walker suspected something was wrong at the scene when she noticed the driver was not being arrested.
“It confirms my suspicions that no action was being taken by the police against the driver despite the fact that they established she had broken the law,” the councillor claimed.
“While at the scene I had my suspicions and raised it with the traffic chief as well.”