The deceased pupils attended Tom Newby Primary School, Rynfield Primary School and Griffcats Tutor Centre.
The family members of four primary school boys who died in a horrific crash on the N12 in Ekurhuleni are shattered by the deaths.
It is understood that the accident happened on Monday while the pupils were on their way to school from Daveyton.
Four pupils die in Ekurhuleni accident
Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesperson William Ntladi said authorities received reports of a collision on the N12 at around 7:45am.
“When we arrived at the scene, we found a scholar transport vehicle, a Toyota Verso, and a private vehicle, a Toyota Hilux bakkie. Children were trapped in the scholar transport vehicle. Four of the children were declared dead, while another four were transported to the hospital with serious injuries.”
Ntladi said the driver of the scholar transport vehicle was not injured.
“The female driver of the second vehicle, the Hilux, sustained critical injuries and she was also extricated from the wreckage before being airlifted to a nearby hospital.”
The N2 in Ekurhuleni was closed off to traffic as rescue teams worked to free the trapped people from the vehicles.
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Private scholar transport
Meanwhile, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said he is saddened by the tragic loss of the four pupils.
Chiloane’s spokesperson, Steven Mabona, said one of the vehicles happened to be a private scholar transport, which was transporting the children to school.
Mabona said law enforcement agencies are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident to establish the exact cause.
“The deceased include two boy learners in Grade 1 and Grade 3, who were siblings from Tom Newby Primary School in Benoni; a Grade 1 boy learner from Rynfield Primary School also in Benoni, and a Grade R boy learner from an ECD centre that is still to be identified.
“Additionally, another girl learner in Grade 3 from Rynfield Primary School is in critical condition as a result of the accident and has been admitted to a local hospital for urgent medical care,” Mabona said.
The department’s psycho-social support unit was dispatched to both Tom Newby and Rynfield Primary Schools to provide counselling services to pupils and teachers.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of these young learners whose lives were tragically cut short by this unfortunate incident. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families, friends, and school communities during this painful period. The department stands ready to provide the necessary support to all affected,” said Chiloane.
KZN crash
The accident comes less than a week after a serious collision between a scholar transporter and two other vehicles injured at least 12 children in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The incident occurred at approximately 7:30am on Tuesday near the corner of Marine Drive and Blackpool Road in Durban’s Bluff, KZN.
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