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A scholar transport bus ferrying learners from Magagamatala Village to Dewagendrift outside Groblersdal drove into a tree near the Kruisrivier Nature Reserve on 21 August, leaving over 55 learners traumatised with minor injuries.
According to the parents, the bus, allegedly not in a roadworthy state, dropped a part, resulting in the accident.
The parents said there are seven buses that are not in good conditions, transporting learners to the neighbouring farm schools in Dewagendrift, Laersdrift, Stoffberg and Sizani Primary School along the R33 Road.
One of the buses transport the learners as far as Masakaneng settlement near Groblersdal.
They blame the recent incident on the longstanding challenge of the lack of a school in the Magagamatala.
The parents allege that they have previously approached the local education circuit over the lack of a school in the area but their efforts remain unsuccessful.
Malesela Kgalema, one of the parents and a ward committee member in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality, said, “The bus almost fell into a donga. It was stopped by a tree after it veered off the road when one of its parts fell underneath. The buses are not in good condition. We have raised several concerns with the education circuit management about the issue of lack of a school. Additionally, our roads are in a dire state. The buses are also in a ruined state and they are driven at high speed. We were promised a school which was approved in 2021. We were told our school will be built when construction of the school in Sehlwakane Village starts. The construction of the school in Sehlakwane has commenced but nothing is happening in Magagamatala. There is land earmarked for the school but no engineers have been sent for assessment to date,” Kgalema said.
“We are starting to suspect that the bus owners are in business with the authorities because when there is a school, the buses won’t work. We have a serious problem and we need help. Our children travel during the early hours of the morning and they get to their respective schools tired,” Kgalema said.
Emergency Medical Services personnel attended the scene.
