By Celani Sikhakhane
The KwaZulu-Natal government has impounded 31 unroadworthy buses that were hired to transport maidens to the annual Reed Dance taking place at the eNyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma on Saturday and Sunday.
The buses were impounded in Durban on Friday morning after Siboniso Duma, the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, and road safety officials conducted a special inspection of the transport hired for the maidens.
Duma and senior officials from the Road Traffic Inspectorate also staged a roadblock in Nongoma at around 6pm on Friday to ensure that buses and other vehicles transporting the maidens were roadworthy and the drivers were not drunk.
“We remain firm in our resolve to ensure the safety of maidens,” Duma said. “We are focusing on inspecting buses and minibus taxis at depots prior to them transporting maidens and people attending the Reed Dance.”
He said the unroadworthy buses had been transporting people every day and could have caused serious accidents if the Reed Dance inspection didn’t expose them.
He also announced plans to minimise congestion on the roads caused by trucks.
He said a dedicated team from the Road Traffic Inspectorate was working flat out with municipalities and key stakeholders.
“Critically, we are working with the South African Freight Association to prevent truck congestion on major routes leading up to eNyokeni Royal Palace,” Duma said.
Trucking companies have been urged to avoid using the following routes:
R66 Nongoma to Ulundi; R618 Nongoma to Hlabisa; R618 Nongoma to Vryheid; R66 Nongoma to Pongola; N2 Mpumalanga to or from Pongola/ Swaziland border/ Mkuze/ Mtubatuba; R66 Gingindlovu to Ulundi; and P234.
In 2013, 10 maidens returning from the Reed Dance were killed in a horrific accident that happened on R66 near Melmoth when the bus driver lost control.
The unroadworthy bus was transporting the maidens to their homes in Mzumbe near Hibberdine on the KZN South Coast.
It was the most painful incident in the history of the Reed Dance and led the late King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu to declare a month of mourning for the girls and their families.
The Road Accident Fund refused to compensate the families, saying the girls were minors who didn’t have responsibilities.
Pictured above: KZN Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma impounded 31 buses hired to transport maidens.
Source: Supplied
