Free State Tragedy
FREE STATE – The Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, together with the MEC for Community Safety, Roads, and Transport in the Free State, Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae, made their way to the site of the devastating school bus crash on the R70 between Senekal and Ventersburg on Friday.
The incident, which occurred on February 6, 2024, resulted in the loss of six young lives as a school bus conveying learners back from a school camp met with a fatal accident. The somber officials later visited Riebeeckstad High School, the community of which has been plunged into mourning, to express their heartfelt condolences.
Minister Chikunga’s words resonated with profound personal loss during the engagement at the school. “I know what you are going through. I lost my son, my daughter in law and four grandchildren in an accident,” she revealed to a visibly shaken audience. This poignant sharing of her own tragedy underscored the Minister’s empathy for the bereaved families and a school community in shock.
Echoing the collective sorrow of the nation, she affirmed, “We have received messages of support, even from other countries. The country is mourning the deaths of our learners with you. Even the President (Cyril Ramaphosa) knows that I am here and extends his condolences.”
MEC Letsoha-Mathae echoed the sentiments, having been one of the officials on the scene, describing the harrowing sights that met her. “The scale of the tragedy is beyond words,” she said. Her appeal to the school management focused on unity and healing, indicating the need for a strong collective response. “It is essential that we rally behind one another to overcome the tragedy that befell this school,” she urged.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has reported that it is alleged that one of the bus’s tires came off before the driver lost control, resulting in the bus overturning.
Free State Premier Mxolisi Dukwana expressed his deep sadness, stating, “This tragedy occurred as we were celebrating the success of the matric class of 2023.”
“The deaths of those souls has robbed us of the future of our province. Words fail me and I can only imagine what the families are going through. I’d like to express my profound condolences to the bereaved families and to also wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
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