Driver error has been identified as a major contributing factor in the crash on the M17 in Tshwane that killed 15 people and injured 37 others.
Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula said at a press conference on Friday that the weather conditions at the time of the crash were clear, and that this was ruled out as a contributing factor.
The accident occurred in the early morning hours of June 10, 2022, around 5h10. The bus, which had 56 passengers on board, was traveling south.
The furniture truck was heading in the opposite direction. The bus swerved out of its original lane and into the path of another bus, resulting in a head-on collision.
Mbalula said, “The report concluded that driver error is the major contributing factor to the cause of the crash because the truck driver allowed his vehicle to veer off its original lane of travel onto the oncoming lane resulting in a head-on crash”.
The road was also found to be in good condition and unlikely to have been a contributing factor in the accident.
“A full mechanical investigation was conducted on both vehicles and confirmed that there were no mechanical defects or failures that contributed to the occurrence of the crash. It was found that both vehicles were in a roadworthy state before the crash.
“The report further states that both drivers had valid EC1 drivers’ licenses and Professional Driving Permits (PrDPs), though one of the drivers was a foreign national, he had all the required documentation including the valid register,” the Minister said.
Mbalula stated that both drivers were killed in the accident and that no one can be charged with reckless and negligent driving or culpable homicide.
“In these circumstances this matter will be the subject of an Inquest and the Presiding Officer (Magistrate) assigned with this case will have to make a finding after the leading of evidence by eyewitnesses.
“Road crashes involving busses and trucks are a matter of grave concern to the Department of Transport and government in general. These crashes place a heavy burden on the health sector and the economy as they involve a high number of fatalities where the victims are economically active members of society.
“The pain is felt deeply by households that are left without breadwinners and children who are left orphaned without a parent to guide them through the challenges of life,” he said.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) conducted a nationwide analysis of major bus and truck crashes from January 1, 2020 to June 15, 2022, and discovered the following:
- Buses were involved in 18 major crashes during the period, killing 178 people and injuring 600 others, while trucks were involved in 71 major crashes, killing 463 people and injuring 431 others.
- The Minister said, “Clearly, this is an unsatisfactory situation because we know that road crashes are avoidable if people exercise necessary and respect the rules of the road.
“The RTMC will in the next few days urgently convene the National Road Safety Steering Committee (NRSSC) to look at impactful interventions that need to be implemented by all provincial and local traffic authorities to bring down the number of horror crashes in the country”.