Families and friends of two of the victims who died in a horrific taxi crash on Dumisane Makhaye Drive in Durban could not hold back their tears — as they bade them a final goodbye.
The funeral service of 14-year-old Thina Ngiba and 13-year-old Luyanda Ngubane has been taking place at the Newlands East Secondary School in Durban while 14-year-old Ayanda Mtshali will be laid to rest in Empangeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday.
The teenagers died after a taxi allegedly skipped a red light and ploughed into them while they were on their way to school.
One pupil was injured and is still recovering in hospital.
Families and friends say they are still grappling to come to terms with the incident. They have asked government to review current bail conditions. This after the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court granted bail to the driver responsible for the deaths of the three teenagers.
Families feel let down by the justice system as the driver of the taxi was granted bail before the families buried their loved ones.
Sizwe Ngubane, speaking on behalf of the Ngubane family, says that it is a good thing that he does not know the taxi driver.
“What hurts us the most is how the person who caused us so much pain is out on bail, the law in South Africa is unfair…It’s a good thing that I don’t know him.”
Mthokozisi Sibiya, speaking on behalf of the Ngiba family, says that the bail conditions portrays the families as vultures.
“What shocked me now is hearing that the court ordered that he comes nowhere near Kwa-Mashu so this now portrays us as vultures while he is the one that caused us so much pain.”
Dumisane Makhaye Drive is known to be a high accident zone. The community has called on government to intervene.
Sipho Ndlovu, Principal at Newlands East Secondary School, says that they are requesting for speed humps at the intersection where the incident took place.
“We request that the government puts speed humps on that intersection so that our children can be safe on their way to school.”
The third victim, Ayanda Mtshali will be buried at Empangeni, in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday.
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