Durban - The truck driver in the Pongola crash that claimed 20 lives made this third appearance in the Pongola Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning.
Sibusiso Siyaya, 28, has been charged with numerous counts of culpable homicide.
On September 16, a total of 20 people died in a head-on collision between a truck and a light delivery vehicle.
Eighteen of the victims were school pupils aged between 5 and 13.
Another victim was a teacher.
According to NPA provincial spokesperson Natasha Kara remains in police custody as he abandoned his bail application.
“The matter was adjourned to December 1 for further investigation.”
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said, according to a report, the truck driver was reckless because he overtook on a barrier line and drove in the oncoming lane for 1.2km, endangering the lives of motorists.
In a separate incident, on Tuesday night, seven people were killed and three others injured when a taxi and a truck collided at the R50 and N17 intersection in Leandra, Mpumalanga.
According to Russel Meiring from ER24, they arrived on the scene just after 10pm to find the truck on its roof across the road while the taxi was upright on the side of the road.
“Several passengers had been ejected from the taxi and were now scattered around the vehicle.
“Medics assessed the patients and found that three men and four women had already succumbed to numerous injuries. Nothing could be done for them, and they were declared dead.”
Meiring said a woman was found in critical condition, while two men from the truck had sustained moderate injuries.
“The patients were treated, and the critically injured woman was provided with several advanced life-support interventions before they were transported to nearby hospitals for further care,” said Meiring.
IOL