Three Eastern Cape learners, including an eight-month pregnant girl, were injured when their scholar transport vehicle was involved in an accident on Wednesday morning.
The Eastern Cape Department of Transport said fifteen learners from the Tutor Ndamase Senior Secondary School in Nyandeni near Mthatha, were in the taxi when the crash occurred.
Department spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, said the three injured learners were in serious condition.
“The accident occurred on the road between Reni and Nyandeni Village in Libode. It is alleged that the taxi (Toyota Quantum), which was carrying 15 learners veered off the road and overturned seriously injuring three learners,” she said.
“One of the injured learners is said to be eight months pregnant. All three learners have been admitted at St Barnabas Hospital in Libode,” Rantjie said.
She said the vehicle involved in the accident is contracted to assist the Department in the provision of scholar transport and the leaners were being transported as part of the Scholar Transport Programme that is being implemented by the Department.
Rantjie said that Officials from the Department of Transport visited the learners in hospital and one of the learners is reported to be critical.
"We call on all our operators to ensure that they adhere to the rules of the road at all times. We must at all times mitigate the risks that are inherently there when using the roads to ensure the safety of all road users," said Transport MEC, Weziwe Tikana.
In line with the provisions of the Scholar Transport Programme, the Department will also conduct its own investigation into the incident.
