It had been a week of mourning for the Mitchell’s Plain community.
With the loss of five young lives in a horror crash on Tuesday 30 May, residents have come out in their numbers, despite the cold and wet conditions, to commemorate the lives of the five primary school learners, who died in AZ Berman Drive shortly after 07:30.
It is understood that the driver of the bakkie they were travelling in lost control, colliding with a traffic light on the centre island, outside Promenade Mall.
The five children died on impact, being flung from the vehicle. Two more were injured. A child who had received treatment at Mitchell’s Plain District Hospital had been released, with a second child, who had been airlifted to Groote Schuur Hospital, still receiving treatment at the time of going to print.
The driver Mninikhaya Mvuli (55) was arrested on charges of culpable homicide and made his first appearance in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 1 June.
The matter was postponed to yesterday (Monday 5 June).
At the time of going to print, People’s Post was unable to verify whether the bail was granted on not.
In an interview with People’s Post on Friday 2 June, the spokesperson for the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) in the province, Eric Ntabazalila, confirmed that the driver was charged with five counts of culpable homicide and one count of reckless and negligent driving.
The learners from Wespoort Primary School, Lentegeur High School, Duneside Primary School, Highlands Primary School, Harvester Way Primary School and Ridgeville Primary School were in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Brandon Lavelot, a scholar transport driver operating in the area, says he is saddened by the accident after being alerted to it via social media.
Travelling this route daily, he passed the scene mere moments before the crash.
“I frequent this road daily in the morning and this morning (Tuesday 30 May) roads were wet but the robots at the intersection were working fine as load shedding only started at 08:00. I have never experienced an accident of this nature, it is just heartbreaking,” he says.
“My tears have been rolling all morning. I also transport kids and every day is different on the road, but our aim is to transport kids safely to school and home. Just after 08:00, I received frantic messages from parents asking if their kids were safe and then the news was all over the radio. The worst is that people made videos and took pictures and it was broadcast all over social media.
“Someone’s child, their small bodies laying lifeless on the road in the rain, the school books and lunch strewn all across the road. My heartfelt condolences to the parents, families and friends. May their souls rest in peace.”
Another transport driver, Denver van Aarde, who was at the scene shortly before 08:00, says they were alerted to the accident via a transport group WhatsApp.
He described the scene as “horrific”. “It was terrifying to look at, so unreal how the little bodies were scattered around. As scholar drivers, our condolences go out to families and friends, teachers, principals and schools. Safety, safety, and safety must come first when driving (learners). We are saddened by the fact that children should lose their lives in this manner,” he says.
Subcouncil 12 chair and Ward 116 councillor – where the incident occurred – Solomon Philander says he had called on traffic services as soon as he was aware of the incident and commended them for their quick response.
In the wake of the accident, officials have called for stricter measures and the banning of unregulated scholar transport.
According to the Western Cape Minister for Mobility, Ricardo Mackenzie, there are over 3 900 private learner transport vehicles registered for scholar transport, with 825 Western Cape Education Department (WCED) contracted vehicles.
“Only mini and midi-buses that comply with the safety standards enshrined in the National Road Traffic Act. Regulations may be used to uplift such an operating licence. These vehicles were manufactured after 1 September 2006 (except) the 2005 Toyota Quantum. Further note that in terms of Regulation 250 of the National Road Traffic Act Regulations (NLTA), persons may not be transported for reward in the goods compartment of a vehicle,” says Mackenzie.
“The NLTA makes provision for the use of light delivery vehicles or bakkies (where there are no other appropriate means of transport) but such a vehicle must be designed or modified by a registered manufacturer in line with the National Road Traffic Act to carry passengers.”
Ashley Potts, Ward 81 councillor where three of the children attended school, says the number of vehicles not up to standard is shocking.
While many are speculating costs to be a factor in choosing these transport options, Potts says this is not the case.
“These drivers charge just as much as other, registered drivers. Fuel is fuel, so we all charge the same,” says Potts.
He adds that another concern is the number of children being bussed into the area for schools.
This is a hot topic of contention in the community. It has created much animosity among parents who battle to have their children placed at schools on their doorsteps.
However, with this in mind, the outpouring of compassion from the community of Mitchell’s Plain in the week since the incident has been unmatched.
At one memorial service hosted by the Department of Social Development, local pastor Leon Jacobs implored those in attendance to question why this had happened in Mitchell’s Plain.
“This has united us as communities and removed the segregation. Your child is my child,” he says.
Philander says while much of the responsibility has been shifted to officials and departments, the main responsibility remains that of the parents.
“The schools must keep the children safe when they are there. How they get there must be the parent’s responsibility. As a parent, I must make sure that the transport is safe and registered,” he says. “It cannot be left to the departments to ensure our children are safe.”
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Premier Alan Winde both extended their condolences to the families. “Our City mourns together with the families of (learners) who died in the fatal crash in Mitchell’s Plain this morning. This is a terrible, dark day in our city.
“As a parent, my heart breaks for those who will not see their children return home from school today. While it can never restore the lives so tragically taken, we trust that authorities will establish the full facts surrounding this incident so that there may be accountability for any wrongdoing,” says Hill-Lewis.
“My heart aches for the families of the young lives so tragically lost in a road accident in Mitchell’s Plain. It’s hard to find the words to convey the magnitude of the loss of these precious children.
“I feel deep sorrow for the pain of their parents, and of the community at large, and on behalf of the Western Cape Government, I send our heartfelt condolences to everyone affected,” says Winde.
