Driver charged with culpable homicide after deadly 'scholar transport' crash

A 56-year-old man appeared in court on Thursday charged with five counts of culpable homicide and reckless driving two days after pupils being transported to school were killed in a collision involving a bakkie, bus and minibus taxi in Cape Town. 

Police said the collision, on AZ Berman Drive in Mitchell’s Plain early on Tuesday, claimed the lives of five children between the ages of seven and 11. A sixth child was critically injured. 

The Western Cape government said “initial information suggests the bakkie in which the learners were being transported hit a traffic light, resulting in the children being thrown off the back”. 

Mninikhaya Mvuli appeared at the Mitchells Plain magistrate’s court on Thursday.   

“The learners were passengers in the vehicle on their way to various schools in the Mitchells Plain area,” said provincial National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.

“Mvuli told the court he intends to apply for bail and his case has been postponed until Monday for a bail application date. The state will oppose his application.” 

Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie said after the incident: “I am outraged by this accident involving a vehicle transporting learners ... resulting in these tragic and avoidable deaths.

“How many more children must we lose on our roads before the transportation of these precious lives is taken seriously by those driving the vehicles?” 

Provincial authorities said the vehicle ferrying the children was not a designated education department pupil transport vehicle. 

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