(Johannesburg) Five children were killed in a crash between a train and a school bus in South Africa on Wednesday afternoon, and twenty children were injured, the Transport Minister confirmed early this evening.
“The tragic accident at a level crossing, involving a freight train and a bus, resulted in the death of five children and twenty other children seriously injured,” the government statement said.
“The safety of our children is paramount and such a loss is heartbreaking,” Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa was quoted as saying in the statement, adding that he would be visiting the scene on Thursday morning.
The accident occurred in the afternoon near the village of Mafube, near the town of Middelburg, some 180 kilometres north-east of Johannesburg, according to local press.
Police reported that the bus driver fled after the crash, according to the Ministry of Transportation. The train driver and crew were not injured.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known and an investigation has been opened.
Emergency services could not be reached immediately, as they were still on site early in the evening.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy called on Wednesday evening “once again for the police to step up their road safety campaigns, particularly in terms of school transport”, since this is “the second deadliest accident involving a school bus this month”.
Earlier this month, twelve schoolchildren were killed when the minibus they were travelling in was hit by a van near Johannesburg.
“This tragedy, which is unfortunately not the first to challenge us, demands that we take our responsibilities to protect our children,” President Cyril Ramaphosa declared at the time, offering his condolences.
South Africa, despite having one of the most developed road networks on the continent, has a disastrous record in terms of road safety, in particular due to the poor condition of some roads riddled with potholes or congested with heavy transport or mining trucks, forcing dangerous overtaking.
In the country, minibuses that allow car-free residents to get around and serve as public transport are most often owned by small private entrepreneurs.
Minibus drivers are also notoriously criticized for their recklessness behind the wheel.