Six people were injured when a taxi crashed into a bus carrying school children in Manenberg on Thursday morning.
The accident happened on Duinefontein Road at about 7am.
The bus was carrying learners from Christel House South Africa, a private school in Ottery, and was stationary and waiting for pupils to board when an alleged speeding taxi drove into the vehicle.
Megan Losper, a spokesperson for Christel House South Africa, confirmed one of its school buses was involved in the collision in Manenberg.
“The school bus was about to load learners at the bus stop when a taxi struck it from behind,” she explained
Losper said the learners will receive trauma counselling: “We are working diligently with the authorities to investigate the incident.”
The City’s Metro Police spokesperson Ruth Solomons confirmed that while none of the kids were harmed, six mense in the taxi reported injuries, including the driver who has been hospitalised.
“This was not a matter of reckless and negligent driving and was recorded as a normal accident,” she adds.
Manenberg Community Police Forum chairperson Vernon Visagie said the community went into a panic after pictures of the accident were shared on social media.
“According to witnesses, the taxi was speeding when the accident happened. We understand the driver is injured,” he said.
“With all of the recent accidents involving school children, one can understand why, so it was a big relief when we learnt that no children were injured.”
Earlier this month, five children were killed in an accident while travelling on the back of a bakkie, between Brackenfell Boulevard and the R300.
It is believed that the driver lost control of the Ford Bantam and smashed into a barrier. Its 11 occupants were travelling from Ceres to Dunoon.
Adrian Hanse, 39, who lost two of his kids in the crash, was arrested on charges of culpable homicide and driving under the influence.
It happened two months after six children from Khayelitsha died in an accident on AZ Berman Drive in Mitchells Plain.
They were flung from their scholar transport when the bakkie rolled multiple times and hit a traffic light. Mninikhaya Mvuli, 56, faces five charges of culpable homicide and reckless driving.
MEC for Mobility, Ricardo Mackenzie, urged drivers to adhere to the law.
“The rules of the road should always be taken seriously. We are losing too many lives. It could’ve been so much worse ,” he said.