Cape Town - The driver of the bakkie involved in a horror crash which claimed the lives of five children along A Z Berman Drive in Mitchells Plain, made his first court appearance on Thursday morning.
Scholar driver, Mninikhaya Mvuli, will appear in court again on June 5 for a bail application, which is opposed by the State.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Mvuli faces five counts of culpable homicide and a count of reckless driving.
“(The matter) has been postponed to next Monday at the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court. The 56-year-old has indicated that he will apply for bail, and the State has stated that it will oppose his bail application.
“He is charged with five counts of culpable homicide and a count of reckless driving,” said Ntabazalila.
The horror crash had sent shock-waves through Cape Town on Tuesday morning when news spread of the pupils, transported on the back of the bakkie, being flung out of the vehicle which rolled along A Z Berman Road just after 7.30am.
Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie had confirmed that the vehicle transporting the learners was illegal.
“Anyone wishing to report illegal or unsafe transport operators in the metro must please contact the City of Cape Town Traffic Department, for enforcement and possible impoundment if the vehicle is unsafe, overloaded or the driver is unqualified.
“I have recently attended two community meetings in Mitchells Plain to address the issues around learner transport and ensure that operators are properly registered and licensed,” Mackenzie had said.
Pupils transported on the bakkie were from Wespoort Primary, Lentegeur High, Duneside Primary, Highlands Primary, Harvester Primary and Ridgeville Primary, reportedly being transported from outside of the Mitchells Plain area.
Cape Times