Alcohol-Related Minibus Taxi Crash in KwaZulu-Natal Kills 1 Pupil, Injures 10 Others

• A minibus taxi has crashed in KwaZulu-Natal, leaving one pupil dead and 10 others seriously injured
• It is alleged that the driver of the school minibus taxi was driving under the influence of alcohol
• This caused the driver to lose control of the taxi, full of pupils, resulting in the taxi rolling down an embankment

The KwaZulu-Natal transport department has launched an investigation after a minibus taxi crashed, resulting in the death of one pupil and injuries to 10 others. It is alleged that the driver of the scholar transport was driving under the influence of alcohol.

How did the accident happen?

KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC Siboniso Duma said that he received communication from a community group on WhatsApp about a driver allegedly transporting pupils drunk in Ndwedwe. He said that the taxi rolled down an embankment. Duma said that videos and photos of the driver were shared with him. This led him to assign a team to the scene of the crash.

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Duma said the team also went to the Montobella District Hospital to check up on the injured children. Six of the 10 pupils were treated and discharged. The other four were admitted with severe head and body injuries. He said that he received the news on Thursday, 24 July, that one student had died.

The MEC said that drastic steps would be taken against the driver as well as the owner. Duma also instructed the Road Traffic Inspectorate to inspect scholar transport in the province.

Department faces backlog

On Tuesday, 22 July, Duma presented a report on scholar transport to the KwaZulu-Natal legislature transport portfolio committee. He said that the department has provided transport to 77,369 learners in 434 schools in 400 days, in all parts of the province.

Duma said that the transport department is administering this programme with a budget of R341.154m on behalf of the education department. He added that 85 contractors are spread across 12 districts. He stated that the department still faces a backlog of 1,571 schools and 234,907 learners requiring the service. He said to address this, they will need more than R2bn.

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What you need to know about drunk driving in SA

• Briefly News previously reported that the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, reported that more than 500 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
• The South African Police Service in Sea Point in the Western Cape arrested a driver who caused an accident under the influence of alcohol.
• A drunk driver in a Volkswagen Polo was involved in a head-on collision involving four vehicles in KZN on Sunday.
• A police officer allegedly went viral on social media after he was caught driving while drunk.
• A police officer from the Northern Cape has been arrested for allegedly causing an accident in a police van while drunk.

15 School kids injured in accident

Earlier, Briefly News reported that fifteen school children were injured in a vehicle rollover accident in Isithebe, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday morning while being transported to school.

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Emergency responders found the vehicle overturned, and although most children sustained minor injuries, three others were privately taken to Sundumbili Clinic, with one child critically injured. The cause of the rollover is under investigation, prompting local authorities to urge caution when transporting school children.

Source: Briefly News