[WATCH] More laaities hurt in a skool bakkie crash
|Published
CRASH: Pupils, mense at the scene. Pictures: Supplied
Skaars 24 hours after tragedy struck in Mitchells Plain, Education MEC David Maynier confirmed that they are aware of another crash involving learners from Simondium Primary on Wednesday morning.
“The learners were travelling in a private vehicle which was involved in a collision with another vehicle.
“Thankfully there were no fatalities, but the learners have been taken to hospital for treatment.
“Our department will provide support to the school, and our thoughts are with the learners as they recover,” Maynier stated.
Meanwhile, a picture started circulating on Wednesday of more school learners sitting at the back of a bakkie without a canopy in the pouring rain in Mitchells Plain.
The picture that went viral shows a white bakkie filled to the brim with young schoolchildren on Spine Road.
The five learners who died on Tuesday were also sitting at the back of a white Toyota Hilux when the accident took place.
It was later learnt that their 55-year-old driver does not have a permit and was also not registered as a scholar transport driver on any of the provincial databases.
MEC for Mobility, Ricardo Mackenzie, said the province is working hard to enable the licensing and effective regulation of scholar transport operators to safeguard children.
“Our team from the Provincial Regulatory Entity conducts regular outreach interventions focused on learner transport in partnership with the Western Cape Education Department.
“Our Provincial Traffic Law Enforcement and Road Safety teams also conduct integrated learner transport operations.”