Joburg – Following a fatal bus crash that claimed the lives of two Wedela Technical High School learners in Carletonville on Thursday, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane visited the area to convey his condolences to the families of the deceased and also comfort learners.
The bus crash happened on Thursday afternoon when learners were being transported home.
The bus driver lost control.
A Grade 8 schoolboy, aged 17, Sakhile Songwaxa, and a Grade 10, aged 16, schoolgirl Dineo Makoae were certified dead at the scene.
During his visit to the school Chiloane alluded to the failures of some contracted school transport services to timeously and safely transport learners to and from school as a problem that the GDE is committing to resolving.
The issues raised by the parents were that the buses that were transporting the learners were not roadworthy and safe because they would fail brakes, and some of them had headlights problems.
While addressing the parents, he assured them that the transport system in schools would be thoroughly checked and monitored to ensure that learners travel safely at all times.
He expressed with deep sadness that the accident devastated the department, stakeholders, parents and learners.
He said incidents like this should no longer be seen in the education sector because they lose the future professionals that would further shape the country's direction.
Proceeding to the families of the deceased, Chiloane said he could not sit and not visit the families that lost their loved ones because what has happened is painful and not easy to accept.
Upon arrival, Songwaxa family asked the department as well as the MEC about the whereabouts of the person owning the buses.
Family spokesperson, Sindiso Songwaxa, an uncle to the deceased, said they were utterly shattered to learn about the death of their son.
Songwaxa said the deceased was not the only family child in the bus that crashed.
He said there was also his niece at the scene who is now in a hospital receiving medical attention.
The family explained to the GDE officials that to date, they do not know where their son's body is.
They tried to inquire but they were told that the school would provide them with relevant details.
Responding to the family, the MEC said they would make sure that by the end of today, the whereabouts of their son's body will be known.
The second family visited was the Makoae family which lost a child.
Spokesperson Khali Makoae said the family is still shocked and processing the loss.
He said they had expected a lot from the deceased but life happened the other way.
Both families, Makoae and Songwaxa, raised their concerns about the school transport that would transport their children.
Chiloane said every mode of transport that will be transporting learners will be registered and made sure that it is roadworthy.
To tackle the transport issue, he called on community safety, and the transport department to help address the transport problem that is constantly bringing bad news.
Current Affairs