Bus-accident accused released on R500 bail
"When the driver refused to stop, she jumped to try and sit on the steering wheel and the driver couldn’t see the road. The bus then veered off the road and came to a standstill after hitting a tree.”
The woman who allegedly grabbed the steering wheel of a Buscor bus causing it to veer of the road when the driver lost control over it, has been granted bail.
Meisie Zulu (40) of Emjindini appeared before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court last week Tuesday.
She was granted R500 bail after spending a night behind bars. She is due back in the same court on March 7.
The bus was en route from Barberton to Mbombela when the incident occurred last Monday.
It happened near the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Mbombela main campus around 06:20. The bus had left Barberton at about 05:15.
According to a passenger on board who did not want to be named, the root cause of the nearly fatal incident was a broken window.
“When we reached Puma Filling Station (formerly Jathira), one passenger stood up to close a window, but unfortunately it broke in the process. The driver was informed about the incident since the same bus was expected to return to Barberton after dropping off the passengers in Mbombela. She (driver) was advised that she must request another bus at the depot since the wind that was coming in through the broken window was affecting the passengers,” said the passenger.
She said when they reached TUT, the driver (identified as Nombuso) requested the passenger who broke the window to come forward since Buscor officials wanted to see him/her.
“We all (passengers on board) kept quiet. She (driver) then told us that she was not going to drop off anyone at the bus stops along the way as she was taking all of us to the Buscor offices. This other woman (arrested one) wanted to get off at TUT. When the driver refused to stop, she jumped to try and sit on the steering wheel and the driver couldn’t see the road. The bus then veered off the road and came to a standstill after hitting a tree,” said the passenger.
She said most of the passengers were asleep when the accident happened. “Passengers woke up to loud screams and we had to use emergency exit windows to get off the bus,” said the woman.
Zulu is reportedly a security officer attached to Mafoko Security Services and stationed at TUT.
Twenty-five passengers were reportedly injured and had to receive medical treatment at Rob Ferreira Hospital and Mediclinic Nelspruit. One passenger was reported to have sustained serious injuries and might have his leg amputated.
Capt Dawie Pretorius, Nelspruit police spokesman said two cases have been opened against Zulu. These include a case of negligent driving and that of common assault of the driver.
