The KZN government has introduced plans to assist the grieving Pongola families whose members of the family had been killed on the N2 collision.
KZN GOVERNMENT VISITS THE SCENE AND FAMILIES OF THE DECEASED
KwaZulu-Natal Acting Premier Nomagugu Simelane introduced a number of interventions to assist the grieving families who misplaced their family members within the Pongola horrific accident final Friday, 16 September.
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Simelane additionally acquired affirmation that 20 lives perished, 18 of which had been kids aged between seven and 12, an educator and the motive force of the bakkies that was transporting the youngsters from college, which collided head-on with a truck on the N2 Highway.
ACTING PREMIER VOWS TO ASSIST THE PONGOLA FAMILIES
Addressing the families at Godlwayo Thusong Centre after visiting the accident scene, affected colleges and families of their houses, Simelane alongside KZN Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Sipho Hlomuka and KZN Education Acting MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi, stated the provincial government will help the families from funeral preparations, counselling of members of the family, pupils in affected colleges to guaranteeing that justice is achieved.
“Upon inspecting the accident scene and receiving a technical briefing on what might have been the cause of the accident, we are convinced that its tantamount to murder and the driver should be charged as such,” she mirrored.
“We need to teach others a lesson through him. Families will never ever be able to see their children and he too must languish in jail. We will leave that to the courts but it should not be culpable homicide.”
Simelane
She went on to say because the KZN government they’ll interact with the families to any extent further till they bury their family members.
“We have brought with us all relevant government entities including the Road Accident Fund which will assist family members with claims but we will intervene as government and assist in the funeral arrangements,” Simelane dedicated.
“Our teams will be here to talk to families and see whether they are willing to do a mass funeral. Of course, this will be in agreement with all families because we are cognisant of their cultural and religious beliefs,” she added.
Simelane stated the government will quickly meet with the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) to talk about the problem of increasing the N2 Phongolo strip.
“Extending the road would be a long project that can take years. Immediate interventions would be erecting speed humps and increasing law enforcement working with Provincial Road Traffic Inspectorate and local traffic officers.”
Simelane
She additionally stated MEC Hlomuka will likely be assembly with Minister Fikile Mbalula this week and we’ll put this challenge on the agenda.
“We cannot sit and relax while the trucks are terrorising communities and other road users in uPhongolo. We will also be meeting with truck companies for them to deal with their drivers who are bullying other road users,” Simelane vowed.
TRUCK DRIVER APPEARS IN COURT TODAY
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The driver of the truck believed to be the reason for the accident appeared in uPhongolo Magistrate Court and was remanded in custody pending his bail software on Monday, 26 September 2022.
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