Seven die as taxi drivers play ‘chicken’

Six were pupils, and one was a driver’s girlfriend

AGAME of “chicken” allegedly played by two minibus taxi drivers on Friday has cost seven people their lives, six of whom were school pupils, while several others were injured.

The pupils, Billy Ngubane, 12, Senamile Ngubane, 12, Mthokozisi Mgube, 13, Sandile Zondi, 15, Wendy Zondi, 17 and Nosipho Myaka, 17 attended Cool Air Combined and Matatane High schools in Dalton, near Greytown.

The game involved the taxi drivers driving towards oncoming traffic and quickly swerving to avoid a collision.

But the driver of the taxi transporting the pupils and other passengers, Khulekani Ngubane, wasn’t so lucky and hit an oncoming taxi.

His girlfriend Nosipho Myaka, 17, who is also the mother of their 8-month-old son was among the dead pupils. Ngubane is recovering in hospital.

The conductor, Thanda Dladla, from the taxi Ngubane had crashed into, died instantly.

Speaking to the Sunday Tribune yesterday, a distraught Nokuzotha Myaka, whose Grade 11 sister Nosipho died, had said Ngubane had promised to take her clothes shopping for their child.

Myaka was in Mayville, Durban, when she received the news of the crash.

“The couple was madly in love. Who knew that one day he would kill her with his reckless driving. I will have to adopt the baby and give him all the care and love he deserves.”

Lindiwe Mkhize ,whose younger sister Wendy and nephew Sandile were killed, said she rushed to the scene and found bodies scattered everywhere. Mkhize said a cousin involved in the crash who survived told her the drivers were playing “chicken”.

“It was horrific. I don’t know how we are going to get through this. These precious lives have been lost. I am a policewoman and in my 10 years of experience I have never seen anything so tragic.”

Nkosenye Ngubane, the uncle of Khulekani, Billy and Senamile was devastated.

“We are praying for Khulekani to pull through. He got injured quite badly. We have to bury two of our children and just hope that he makes it so he could tell us what exactly happened because there are a lot of allegations”, he said.

Paramedic Bongani Mgube, whose nephew Ntokozisi was killed, was alerted by his colleagues about the crash.

“Ntokozisi had a bright future ahead of him and its really sad that he had to die this way.”

Kwazulu-natal MEC for Transport and Education Mxolisi Kaunda visited the scene and met families of the deceased. They promised to help the families with funeral arrangements.

Lieutenant-colonel Thulani Zwane said police were investigating a case of culpable homicide.