A tragic crash on a South African highway has left 19 schoolchildren dead after a large truck crashed into a minibus. The horrific accident happened in the Pongola area on Friday, September 16, eNCA reports.
The truck driver in the Pongolo horror crash that claimed 21 lives has been arrested. The driver has handed himself over to police and is expected to appear in the Pongolo Magistrate Court on Monday. #Today #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/dmllmTkmsJ
— eNCA (@eNCA) September 17, 2022
- The entire accident was caught on dashcam footage. It showed the moment when the truck overtook another vehicle on a two-lane highway before smashing into the minibus full of the schoolchildren. While the minibus attempted to swerve out of the way, it was sadly crushed by the truck.
- So many people died in the accident. Local media reports that 19 children, all aged between five and 12, tragically passed away in the accident, along with three adults. The group was said to be heading home from school at the time of the crash.
- The truck driver left the scene. Instead of staying to talk to authorities and attempting to save any of the children, he drove away. However, he was arrested the following day after handing himself in to police. He’s due to appear in court on Monday.
- The regional transport minister has since released a statement. “The death of so many young lives is a serious tragedy,” said Sipho Hlomuka. While South Africa’s highways are extremely modern, reckless driving still makes them very unsafe at times.
