OWN CORRESPONDENT, Lydenburg | Tuesday
THE driver of a bus which crashed in northeastern South Africa in September 1999 killing 27 British tourists and a South African tour guide, was sentenced on Tuesday to six years in prison.
Titus Phillip Dube, 41, who was found guilty in February, also had his licence suspended for six years by the Lydenburg Regional Court.
Twenty-seven people, mostly elderly British tourists, died instantly and nine others, including Dube, were injured when the Springbok-Atlas coach hit a bank and rolled at the bottom of a pass five kilometres from Lydenburg, on September 27, 1999.
The death toll rose to 28 when another passenger died in hospital three weeks later.
On Monday, Dube admitted pressing the accelerator instead of the brake during a steep descent at the scenic Long Tom Pass, citing this factor as the reason he pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable homicide.
Dube’s lawyer and the prosecution had both agreed the accident was caused by ”human error” on Dube’s side and had asked for a suspended sentence. – AFP
ZA*NOW:
Death bus driver pressed accelerator April 3, 2001
Tour bus crash driver ruling today April 2, 2001