Bus driver’s case to continue in court
This comes after three learners and one teacher were killed on the spot while others sustained serious injuries during an accident that took place in July 2010.
NELSPRUIT – The court case against the bus driver accused of the murder of five people and charged with 62 counts of attempted murder will continue in the Nelspruit High Court on Monday ( February 24).
Mr Goodboy Ngomane (41) last appeared in the same court in December where he fired his Legal Aid representative and hired a private lawyer to represent him in this matter.
In July 2010, Ngomane, of Mahushu, was hired to transport grade four learners of Khokhobela Primary School from Mala to Pretoria on a school trip.
On their return, Ngomane’s bus was involved in an accident with a train while he was crossing a railway line.
Three learners and one teacher were killed on the spot while others sustained serious injuries. Mr Sydney Mathebula, a teacher from the school testified in court that he and the deceased teacher organised the educational trip to the Zoological Garden and the Union Buildings.
He testified in court that said their plan was for the learners to leave Pretoria around midnight so they could be at the school around 05:00 the following day.
However, they were compelled to change their plan as the driver decided to leave early.
“Things didn’t go as planned as the driver told us that he didn’t take a bath the previous night and needed to get back home to his wife. As a result we left Pretoria by 20:00,” Mathebula said.
He continued to testify that from Pretoria, the driver went to the bus’ owner’s house in Mahushu and came out mumbling and grumbling about his fatigue.
“By the time we reached the police station we pleaded with him to take one teacher to Rolle Village because it was still too dark for her to go on her own.”
Mathebula testified that Ngomane stopped the bus and told them that he was not hired to take individuals to their homes and was not prepared to drive on a dusty road.
“We explained to him that we had told him why we had planned to leave Pretoria late, but due to the circumstances, we had to use the dirt road,” he said.
According to Mathebula this happened some time from 02:15 to 02:20. He said after negotiations the driver agreed to drop the teacher at the specified place, but as they were crossing the railway line the bus collided with the train.
Mathebula told the court that Ngomane was missing immediately after the accident and he had not seen him since.
