On Monday, truck driver Sibusiso Siyaya made his second court appearance in connection with an accident that claimed the lives of twenty-one people.
The KwaZulu-Natal court scheduled the subject for a bail hearing. The 28-year-old abandoned his bail application during his court appearance, meaning he will stay in custody until his next court date.
Two weeks ago, Siyaya’s truck crashed with a bakkie, resulting in the deaths of 19 children, the bakkie’s driver, and an assistant teacher.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), he is charged with 21 counts of negligent homicide.
The case was remanded for additional investigation on October 25, 2022.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said last week that a probe following the sad collision determined the driver to be at fault.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) oversaw the investigation into the 16 September 2022 collision between a truck and a bakkie transporting schoolchildren.
Mbalula, speaking to the media, said that the investigation revealed that the truck driver unlawfully overtook many automobiles.
“This driver recklessly overtook vehicles and drove on the oncoming lane for approximately 1.2 kilometres. These vehicles had to swerve out of the way of the approaching truck,” the Minister said.
According to the investigation, the driver who fled the scene after the collision did not return to his proper lane. However, he proceeded to drive against the flow of traffic, endangering the lives of other drivers.
Mbalula announced to the media that the report will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Senior Public Prosecutor for consideration.
“As part of our efforts to make our roads safer, we are putting in place several measures to reinforce current interventions.”