Emotional testimony heard in court after reliving Rheenendal bus disaster

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Three of the young survivors of the Rheenendal bus disaster in August 2011 took the stand in an emotional day of testimony in the Knysna Magistrates Court on Monday.

The testimony of one witness, 13-year-old Andrea Sass, brought court proceedings to a halt a few times as she broke down in tears while remembering seeing a little boy die as he became caught in one of the windows in an attempt to escape the sinking bus.

The 14 children and the bus driver, Tiaan Colin Payle, 65, died when the African Express school bus plunged into the Kasatdrift River about 20km from Knysna.

The pupils succumbed to a watery death when the 32-seater bus - in which 56 children were apparently crammed - crashed while transporting them to Rheenendal Primary School.

Andrea described how she saw the bus driver "pumping the brakes" of the bus and how panic gripped the screaming children. She also recalled how the bus teetered on the edge of the bridge before plunging into the cold Kasatdrift River.
Sass also described saving a seven-year-old girl who was in her care on the bus that day.

Her testimony brought many friends and family in the packed court gallery to tears. At one stage during court proceedings, her mother joined her in the witness stand to comfort her.

Romano Heynes, who was in Grade 9 at the time of the disaster, told the court how the trauma of the incident had ultimately led to him dropping out of school. He said he had lost his best friend in the crash and became upset every time he travelled past the scene.

Jerald Andrews, the lawyer representing the families of the pupils, said court proceedings started with an inspection in loco.
"The prosecutor, magistrate, legal teams and other roleplayers visited the crash scene to familiarise themselves with the condition of the road, the road signs that had subsequently been put up and other factors that could paint a clearer picture of what happened," he said.

The inquest was due to start in January , but had to be postponed after a bus company representative showed up at court without a lawyer.

The three teenagers were the first of 12 witnesses summoned to testify this week. The matter is set down for the week, but is likely to be postponed on Thursday to call a further 12 witnesses.

Proceedings continue.