/ 24 June 2006

School loses most of its teachers in road accident

Diphetogo Primary School in Mafikeng lost two-thirds of its teachers when their minibus taxi crashed early on Saturday near Lichtenburg, said the North West education department.

Departmental spokesperson Charles Raseala said Diphetogo had 23 teachers. Fourteen of them, including the principal, died in the collision with a truck. Another was injured.

The taxi driver, who survived, was not employed by the department.

”The remaining nine educators are surely traumatised themselves,” said Raseala. ”It’s the middle of the year and we will have to put our heads together and see that we assist those kids to reach the end of the year.”

Provincial education minister Reverend OJ Tsrelapedi was shocked. ”Their lives were irreplaceable in the education fraternity.”

The school term ended on Friday and the new term starts on July 17.

North West Premier Edna Molefe also expressed her shock.

”She has indicated that she will definitely pay a visit to the families of the deceased,” said her spokesperson, Russel Mamabalo.

The crash took place at 4am on Saturday on the R503 between Lichtenburg and Mafikeng.

The teachers were travelling to the funeral of a colleague’s relative in Mabopane, north-west of Pretoria.

North West minister of transport, roads and community safety Jerry Thibedi said preliminary investigations suggest that the taxi had a blow-out.

The driver lost control and collided head-on with the truck travelling in the opposite direction.

Thirteen of the victims died on impact and one was certified dead on arrival at the hospital. Their bodies were trapped inside the minibus and freed by members of the emergency services.

Staff at the General De la Rey hospital in Lichtenburg said the truck driver, his sole passenger, the taxi driver and the surviving teacher were admitted.

Two of the injured were transferred to Mafikeng hospital.

”I find it shocking that this accident happened at the same spot where I launched the provincial Arrive Alive campaign and Operation Emisa campaign a day or two before the Easter weekend this year,” said Thibedi. — Sapa