Forty school children escaped with minor injuries when the overloaded taxi they were travelling in collided with another taxi and crashed into bushes at Ravele in the Sinthumule area on Friday, 10 June. The children were rushed to the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital and discharged the same day.
Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said that the driver had lost control of the overloaded vehicle, which should have been carrying no more than 15 passengers, and hit another taxi before it had driven into the bushes.
"Preliminary police investigations revealed that overloading might have been the cause, as there were 40 passengers on board. We have opened a case of reckless and negligent driving against the driver. Further charges may be brought against him, pending the outcome of police investigations," he said.
One of the parents of the children who had been involved in the accident said they had lodged several complaints about the overloaded taxi before but that the driver had ignored them. He said that taxis that transported learners overloaded their vehicles to "make a quick buck", which ultimately compromised the passengers' safety.
"When we complain about the overloading, we are bullied and told not to use their 'only means' of transport again, if that is how we feel. We have also complained to the local traffic department, which promised to look into the matter, but nothing is happening. We are pleading with the authorities to act now, before more children's lives are lost," he said.
On Monday, 13 June, 19 learners from Thengwe High School were rushed to hospital after the taxi they were travelling in collided with an oncoming vehicle. No-one was seriously injured.
Limpopo Transport and Community Safety MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya has noted with concern the number of accidents in the province involving privately arranged scholar transport. The Vhembe District has the highest number of accidents reported in the second term of the school calendar.