Cape Town – A crash has claimed the lives of at least five children along AZ Berman Drive in Mitchells Plain on Tuesday morning.
The accident reportedly involved a bakkie, bus and taxi. The children were being taken to school when tragedy struck just after 7am.
Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, said an investigation was under way.
“Mitchell’s Plain police registered a culpable homicide case for investigation following a fatal crash which claimed the lives of five children in AZ Berman Drive, Mitchell’s Plain this morning, May 30, at about 7.30am,” said Twigg.
ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said a sixth child was in a critical condition.
“This morning, five children were killed and another critically injured when the bakkie they travelled in rolled multiple times on AZ Berman Drive in Mitchells Plain, Western Cape.
“ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene at 8.07am, finding the Western Cape Metro and City of Cape Town Fire already in attendance,” said Meiring.
Medics found a bakkie upright in the middle of the road.
Several children, believed to be aged from 13 to 16, were scattered some distance away from the bakkie.
“Medics assessed the children and found that five had already succumbed to their numerous injuries while a sixth was in critical condition. Paramedics treated the critical patient before he was transported to a nearby hospital for urgent care,” said Meiring.
The cause of the crash was not yet known.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed his condolences to the families of the children.
“Our City mourns together with the families of scholars who died in the fatal crash in Mitchells Plain this morning. This is a terrible, dark day in our city. As a parent, my heart breaks for those who will not see their children return home from school today. While it can never restore the lives so tragically taken, we trust that authorities will establish the full facts surrounding this incident so that there may be accountability for any wrongdoing,” said Hill-Lewis.
Cape Times