The Education Department in the Free State has promised a full report into the details of the bus accident that claimed the lives of six learners last week.
Speaking at the memorial service held at the Kingdom Ministries church in Welkom Free State, Premier Mxolisi Dukwana said the accident was being investigated.
“We assure you that we are investigating and you will get a report. But we know that the bus had been to a service because we saw the papers,” says Dukwana.
Learners, teachers and parents were all stricken by grief as they remembered the six who died when one of the wheels of their school bus fell off, causing it to veer off the road and overturn.
The six have been lauded for their commitment to their education and development.
Their parents described their loss as devastating.
For Oagile Gailele’s family, the 17th which was her birthday is now a sorrowful day as it will be the day she is going to be laid to rest.
“As a family we truly have mixed feelings about this. It’s so painful that we have to bury her on her birthday when she even asked that we have a party for her and we had already started with those arrangements,” says her uncle Pogisho Gailele.
Other parents also expressed their grief.
“We only found out the next day that our daughter was no more. This has been a very sad period for my family,” a parent said.
The National Teachers Union also say the accident should be investigated. It says it’s not about finger pointing but parents deserve answers.
“So, we are calling as a union to the Department of Education to work together with the Department of Transport to investigate,” says Thabo Taje, NATU Free State deputy secretary.
Free State Education MEC Makalo Mohale has called on other learners to take the baton from the six and also strive to be better in their lives.
“We know that in their individual capacity, they had various dreams and my request to our fellow learners is that let those dreams not die. Please take them a little forward and do it for them. Please keep the spirit. Please ensure that all those things that they have desired at least we can take it forward. I think that would be the best condolences that we can give,” says Mohale.
Each family will hold a private funeral over the weekend.
Video: Six learners die in Free State bus crash: Makalo Mohale
