Five leaners and a bus driver were confirmed dead after their scholar transport bus driver lost control and veered off the road during a school trip in Hlabisa in northern KwaZulu Natal yesterday. The accident happened on the R618 near Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve around 8AM. The grade 10 and 11 learners from Mchitheni High School from KwaNongoma were travelling to Durban on an educational tour and they were going to return on the same day.

SCORES INJURED

The Department of Education in the province confirmed that 35 other learners who were badly injured in the crash were taken to the local hospitals. A community member and eye witness Sandile Mdluli told ZiMoja the learners were badly injured and that he wished them a speedy recovery. "This is horrible and I am very pained with what happened because the accident happened in a very dangerous location, inside the Hluhluwe Game reserve. Wild animals are always roaming around when you are travelling on that route. It is by luck that no animal tried to attack the victims," he said. Mdluli added that the sad thing about the whole accident was that the bus driver also passed away and they will never know what really happened. "He was going to be able to share with us what really happened. We are hoping and praying that the numbers do not go up as there are learners who are badly injured as the bus rolled a couple of times," said Mdluli.

CONDOLENCES

Spokesperson for the provincial education department Muzi Mahlambi said: "We are very saddened by the news of the passing away of five learners and one bus driver. They were traveling to Durban when they were involved in a car accident," said Mahlambi. The National Teachers’ Union (NATU) also sent their condolences to the leaners’ families. "As a union, we are heartbroken to learn about this accident. It is painful for teachers and parents because they were taking these learners on an educational excursion to expose them to the world of work," NATU said in a statement.