Twenty schoolchildren were injured on Monday morning when a scholar transport minibus overturned near West Park Cemetery in Randburg, Johannesburg.
The accident occurred at about 7am on West Park Road, with the vehicle allegedly travelling at high speed before the driver lost control. The minibus overturned near a bend close to the cemetery.
According to Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Supt Xolani Fihla, the driver of the Toyota Quantum was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
“He has been arrested and will be detained at Sophiatown SAPS. He faces charges of reckless and negligent driving and driving under the influence of alcohol,” he said.
The Gauteng education department confirmed the crash involved pupils from three schools:
- 13 pupils from Greenside High School;
- four from Roosevelt High School; and
- three from Parktown Girls' High School.
The injured pupils were assessed and treated at health-care facilities.
“The learners were treated and discharged into the care of their families,” the department said.
One pupil from Greenside High remains in hospital and is scheduled to undergo surgery.
Most of the pupils had been booked off from school for the rest of the week by doctors, the department added. Psychosocial support has been arranged for the pupils and their families.
Education officials visited schools and hospitals on Monday to verify the pupils' conditions and offer support to the families.
“We are grateful there were no fatalities and we extend our gratitude to emergency personnel, school management teams and our officials who responded swiftly,” said education MEC Matome Chiloane.
“We continue to engage relevant authorities to determine the cause of the accident and ensure accountability. We urge scholar transport drivers, whether public or private, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our learners remains a priority. We wish all learners a speedy recovery.”
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
TimesLIVE
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