Grieving Gauteng family calls for swift probe into Fochville horror crash that killed 11 pupils

Speculation continues on what was likely to have caused the devastating Fochville scholar transport accident that killed 11 learners and the driver on Wednesday morning.

The Hlalele family lost four children in the crash, two boys and two girls aged between seven and 12. Thato (8) Sihle (12), Hlompo (11) and Reneilwe (7), were all learners at Rocklands Primary School.

According to the family, the four were using this scholar transport provider for the first time, having ditched another, hoping this would be an improvement.

Hlalele family spokesperson and uncle to the four deceased children, Aviva Manqa, said the family was grateful that the MECs for education and transport visited the family to convey their condolences.

However, Manqa said they hoped the investigation would move swiftly so the families could have closure.

“We really want to know what happened,” Manqa said.

It has come to light that the scholar transport vehicle was not registered with the Gauteng Department of Education. This was confirmed by Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela. 

The 14-seater minibus that was involved in the crash with a bakkie is believed to have been carrying about 20 pupils, transporting them from Kokosi-Wedela to Rocklands Primary School and Blyvooruitzicht Laerskool in Carletonville.

Eleven learners and the driver of the scholar transport vehicle died in the incident, The driver of the bakkie and a reported seven other pupils were rushed to hospital for medical attention.

Tlabela said: “This was a private education transport provider. We don’t have many details because the driver also passed on in this unfortunate incident. The [minibus] is also burnt, but the team is busy with investigations so that we can give answers.

“As of now, we don’t have answers. We are not sure if it was licensed accordingly, whether the driver or owner had a permit to transport children.”

She said the department’s responsibility was to regulate scholar transport and ensure vehicles and drivers were compliant.

“The message to parents is, let us verify [whether vehicles are registered]… Let’s make sure children travel to school in safe and sound car private scholar transports. To the service providers, let’s care enough for our children before profits. We will also work hard as government to make sure we deal with the challenges within the education transport sector as there is a need and this is a multifaceted challenge.” 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Gauteng police open culpable homicide case after 12 pupils killed in horror Fochville crash

It was confirmed by the provincial police’s crash unit at the scene that both vehicles involved in the tragedy were roadworthy.

Police said they were investigating a case of culpable homicide. The cause of the accident remains unknown.

Education MEC Matome Chiloane said the department had dispatched its psychosocial support team to provide immediate support to the schools and families. 

As condolences and messages of support pour in for the affected families and school communities, calls to review scholar transport policy to ensure the safety of learners are growing louder. DM