Morelig Combined School parents gathered at the scene where five children were killed and 20 others injured when a bus and a train collided at a level crossing.
The learners were believed to be from the school being transported in a 70-seater bus to Mafube Village, Mpumalanga, where they reside, but were dislodged in a horrific accident involving their bus and a train.
The accident resulted in the deaths of five children and injuries to 20 others.
According to a witness at the scene, Stanley Mokoena, the accident happened around 4 pm after the driver of the bus did not stop for the train to cross.
The driver is suspected to have been under the influence of alcohol after he had fetched them at school going to the village, near Wonderfontein outside Middleburg in Mpumalanga.
When The Star team arrived at Mafube Village at 7 pm on Wednesday, the police could only confirm that five bodies were recovered but they could not say how many were rushed to hospital at the time.
They also could not confirm how many were still stuck under both that train and the bus.
However, speaking to The Star, Mokoena, who is from a farm nearby, said he had been on the ground after the accident happened.
“I’m from this area and all I heard was a bang. When I went to investigate later I was traumatised... but what I can tell you is that the bus was coming from the school in Wonderfontein to drop off the kids here at Mafube Village.
“But when the driver saw that the train was nearby, he still tried to cross without stopping and the train hit the bus on its side.
“The bus was dragged for a few meters before stopping,” he said.
Mokoena accused the driver of the bus, whose name is known to The Star, of having been under the influence of alcohol.
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, accompanied by officials from the Mpumalanga Department of Roads and Transport and the Road Traffic Management Corporation, visited the scene last night.
“The safety of our children is paramount, and it is heartbreaking to witness such a loss. Our hearts go out to the families affected by this tragedy,” said Hlengwa.
This is a developing story.
The Star