Road described as death trap after horror crash

THE poor condition of the R25 road on which the horror minibus crash in Verena near Bronkhorstspruit occurred was highlighted at a meeting between government officials and the families of those killed.

Eighteen children and two adults died. One witness described the road as a death trap.

“This road is very bad‚ there are too many potholes. Please MEC‚ take note of this‚” Mbuso Ndimande‚ who identified himself as the leader of a local civil society organisation, said.

The carnage occurred on the road between Bronkhorstspruit and Groblersdal after a taxi collided head on with a truck and burst into flames.

Ndimande was addressing Mpumalanga Community Safety and Liaison MEC Pat Ngomane.

The province’s Education MEC Reginah Mhaule and Social Development MEC Busi Shiba were also in attendance, while Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi addressed the meeting at length.

Lesufi advised the families on the way forward.

Committees have been established to meet the families and attend to their needs, as well as make arrangements for funerals and the identification of the bodies today.

“The injured learners will also be supported in terms of future and current medical costs‚ counselling and schooling,” he said.

“This will be taken care of immediately‚ to help them go back to school and move on from this.”

Christo van Heerden‚ who arrived on the scene shortly after the accident‚ said the stretch of the R25 between Sukhulumi and Verena in Mpumalanga was a death trap.

“What a horrible‚ horrible day‚” Van Heerden‚ who has lived in Verena for close to four years‚ said.

The injuries of the victims who died in the blazing vehicle were so severe that only one person has been identified so far.