TONGA – Nine pupils from schools in the area were involved in a car accident on the D797 between Tonga and Mzinti at 03:00 yesterday.
Police believe the driver lost control of the vehicle after hitting a road barrier and it overturned. The vehicle was reportedly airborne for several metres before landing on a house still under construction in Tonga View.
Police suspect the vehicle may have been moving at a very high speed.
Four pupils were killed and five others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to hospital. The deceased include the driver, who reportedly did not have a valid driving license.
Police believe the pupils were heading home from a matric dance when the accident occurred.
A case of culpable homicide is being investigated
The MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Mr Pat Ngomane, urged motorists to be cautious when driving at night. “It is sad to lose lives in crashes that could have been averted had reasonable care been taken,” he said.
The MEC called on law enforcement to strictly enforce traffic rules to help save lives.
He also sent his condolences to the families of the deceased pupils and wished the injured teens a speedy recovery.
