President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent his condolences to the families of the sixteen people who lost their lives in a bus crash on Tuesday on the R21 northbound, just after the R24 at the OR Tambo International Airport interchange. Ekurhuleni. Emergency services confirmed that 12 passengers died at the scene, and four others died later from their injuries in the hospital. This incident occurred just days after two other bus accidents resulted in the loss of more than twenty lives.

SADDENED BY LOSS OF LIFE

The President has wished a speedy recovery to the 45 people who sustained injuries. In a statement, Ramaphosa said he was saddened by the loss of life, and such tragedies leave more than physical scars. "They cause trauma that affects family relationships and the lives of survivors. Incidents such as these impact people's ability to earn a living; they impact our health and emergency services; they drive up insurance and result in expensive vehicle repairs; and they affect businesses that lose personnel in this process," the President said.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The president also said that the biggest factor in crashes is human error, not law enforcement or road conditions. "As we reflect on the lives that have been lost, we must also reflect on the responsibility and conduct of everyone who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle, big and small, in our country." He pleaded with drivers to ensure that vehicles are roadworthy and obey the rules of the road. "Where drivers ignore these rules, they stand a chance of losing their lives or being critically injured. And where they survive, they will end up in our courts and correctional centres,' Ramaphosa added. The President said his thoughts are also with the families of nine bus passengers who lost their lives in an incident in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday.

A DISASTER

The City of Ekurhuleni has also sent condolences to the families of those who passed away in the same accident. At the scene, MMC for Transport Andile Mngwevu said he was lost for words. "This is a disaster. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and our prayers for a speedy recovery to those who have been taken to various hospitals around the area. To see so many bodies lying around is quite saddening, and the city really feels for the families who would have expected to see their loved ones return home later today. Our hearts are extremely heavy right now," Mngwebu said.