Newlands taxi driver given bail
Facing three charges of culpable homicide after he allegedly skipped a red traffic light and ran over four victims
THE father of one of the three Newlands East High School pupils killed when a minibus taxi allegedly ran over them last week says he does not believe the driver deliberately caused the accident that killed his daughter.
Ayanda Mtshali, 14, was one of four pupils hit by the taxi at the intersection of Dumisani Makhaye Drive and Malandela Road on March 6 when the allegedly speeding taxi went through a red robot.
Three teens died and a fourth was injured.
Ayanda’s father Thulani Mtshali told the Daily News yesterday he believed the driver would not have killed the girls on purpose.
He appealed for the community and the families of the other victims to be calm and treat the tragedy as an accident.
Ayanda Mtshali, Tina Ngiba and Luyanda Ngubane were walking to school when the accident happened. The fourth victim, Bongeka Ngubane, is said to be recovering in hospital.
Mtshali said that, as a believer, everything happens for a reason and by God’s will.
He said he had forgiven the taxi driver, Siboniso Zwane.
Mtshali was speaking to the Daily News yesterday after the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court released Zwane, who is charged with three counts of culpable homicide, on bail of R3 000.
He was barred from entering the district of Ntuzuma and would probably have to move from his home.
Prosecutor Seema Reddy did not oppose bail but urged the court to impose conditions he would have to abide by for the duration of the trial.
Some of his bail conditions include not entering the district of Ntuzuma and not interfering with State witnesses. He is also to report to the police once a week.
When contacted by the Daily News, Mtshali had not heard that Zwane had been granted bail as he had attended a memorial service for the three girls.
Mtshali said his family was still trying to come to terms with their loss.
The Ngiba family, however, was not happy that Zwane had been granted bail.
Nomvula Mbanjwa, a family spokesperson, said Zwane should be punished and face the consequences of his actions.
“He drove through a red robot and, as a result of his carelessness, three families have lost their daughters. He did what he did on purpose and he must be taught a lesson,” said Mbanjwa.
She said the family was worried that Zwane would return to work and expose other pedestrians to danger.
“The court has no means of monitoring that he does not go back to driving taxis while on bail,” said Mbanjwa.
Zandile Cele, spokesperson for the Ngubane family, encouraged the community to let the law take its course.
“We should not hold any grudges against the driver for our loss. God knows how He will deal with him. We just have to accept what happened and let the courts deal with the case the best way they know how.”