A KwaZulu-Natal mother is mourning the loss of her three children who were among the eight people killed in a road crash in Mandeni.
On Friday, a head-on collision between a vehicle and a truck took place on the N2 near Mandeni.
Grade 10 pupil from Mathubesizwe High School, Banele Sishi, 18, who was driving the vehicle that collided with the truck, and passengers – taxi driver Sphelele Ngcongo, 27, farmer Simphiwe Ngcongo, 25, Sifundo Zikhali, 18, Nkanyiso Zikhali, 25, Mpumelelo Innocent Dladla, 23, Sikhuthele High School pupil Velangenkosi Ncwane, 19, and grade 11 pupil Siphile Dladla, 17, were declared dead at the scene.
The truck driver sustained critical injuries. According to reports, the deceased were believed to have attended a party prior to the accident.
On Sunday, KZN Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma visited the truck driver in hospital, as well as the families of the eight deceased in Mandeni.
In a briefing following the visits with the families, Duma noted that the families would be allowed to grieve without the pressure of the investigation processes at this time.
“Recent road accidents have filled our hearts with anguish and deep pain. In particular, our hearts go out to Mama Ncwane. She lost her husband in December. A day before the funeral of her sister, she lost her three children.”
Duma said the department’s focus was on arranging a memorial service and funerals for the victims in consultation with the families.
“We visited uBaba uNdaba in a hospital in Richards Bay. We are happy that he is recovering in the ICU after sustaining injuries to his face and head.”
In a separate accident on Saturday, a bus transporting 33 people from the Eastern Cape to Durban overturned on the N2 near Port Shepstone, resulting in the deaths of four people, including a young girl.
Duma said the bus driver had been arrested on charges of culpable homicide on Saturday.
“Our preliminary investigations show that the bus is unroadworthy and riddled with mechanical faults.
“Our examiners, working with our counterparts from the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, will conduct an extensive technical investigation.”
He said the bus had been impounded. The MEC said the owners and management of the bus service would be questioned about why the person driving the bus did not have a Professional Driving Permit (PrDP) to transport passengers.
Duma said multidisciplinary teams have been assigned to ensure that the families of victims of the bus accident were assisted.
In an effort to address road accidents, Duma said he had tasked the Head of Department, Siboniso Mbhele, and Chief Director of Road Traffic Inspectorate, Advocate Shadrack Nxumalo, to provide him with a report on the state of readiness for the implementation of the Demerit Point System.
The system, which is set to start in September 2025, focuses on deterrence, penalties for repeat offenders, accountability, and education.
The Mercury