Parents in distress after accident
Fourteen pupils were travelling to school in a canopy bakkie coming from Mashishing.
LYDENBURG – Sixteen people were injured in a head-on collision between two bakkies on Tuesday morning. The accident occured on the Badfontein Road (R36) on a solid line.
Fourteen pupils were travelling to school in a canopy bakkie coming from Mashishing. Accompanying them were two adults, one being the driver and the other a passenger.
The driver of the other bakkie was unharmed. According to Mr Deon Broekman, hazmat operator from Rapid Response, one of the patients was badly injured. “She suffered internal injuries and had to be airlifted to a Mbombela Hospital for further treatment. Some were transported to Lydenburg Hospital and others were treated at the scene,” he said.
When Steelburger/Lydenburg News arrived at the scene, some of the parents of the injured pupils were in tears, while the police and paramedics attempted to calm them down.
Other parents were running around the scene looking for their children, asking if they were still alive, demanding to see them.
One of the schoolchildren who often used this bakkie as transportation, was lucky enough to be sick that morning and stayed home. She was, however, at the scene and visibly upset after seeing her niece’s injuries.
According to one of the parents at the scene, it was frightening not knowing if her child was alright or not. “They say the ambulance took her to hospital but I have not seen my child. I do not know if my child really is alright,” she said.
According to Lydenburg Police spokesman, Sgt Elizabeth Selwaletau Magoa, the matter is being investigated.
“At this point we cannot say exactly what happened when the accident occurred.”
