By Doreen Mokgolo
The funeral for 10 of the 11 learners who were killed in a tragic road accident last month was held at Fochville Secondary School in Carletonville on Thursday.
Families of the 11 learners who died in the accident are asking the Gauteng education department and law enforcement authorities to remove unsafe school transport vehicles from the roads.
The learners laid to rest were Junior Mankofu, 8, Thandeka Mtyilibe, 9, Tshiamo Makinta, 9, Olesego Khesa, 12, Katlego Morebudi, 12, Reabetswe Rabodiba, 7, and Reneilwe Hlalele, 7, Sihle Hlalele, 12, Hloho Hlalele, 10, and Thato Hlalele, 8.
Khothatso Sesing, 9, will be buried privately on Friday, and the driver, Nkosinathi Mapukata, 44, will be buried in the Eastern Cape.
The accident happened on 10 July when their transport was hit by a speeding bakkie, causing the vehicle to roll and catch fire.
The learners were burned beyond recognition, and DNA tests were needed to identify them, taking 30 days.
Nine learners survived the accident.
A family member, Sekoboti Makhoa, said: “This must be a lesson for us all. We need to remove unsafe and unroadworthy school transports from our roads and schools.”
Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, said: “We will start removing unsafe scholar transports. School patrollers will check the transports and report to us. If we are not happy with the condition, we will stop the learners from using them.”
Chiloane also mentioned plans to build more schools in the area to reduce the need for learners to travel to other communities for English-language education.
The Gauteng Education Transport Services spokesperson, Pilane Ramarutsi, called for a policy to regulate scholar transports, saying she is concerned about overloaded and poorly maintained vehicles contracted to the department.
Pictured above: The mass funeral service for 10 of the 11 young victims.
Source: Doreen Mokgolo
