Minister of Transport and Deputy Minister express condolences following fatal Middelburg crash  

The Minister of Transport, Ms. Barbara Creecy and the Transport Deputy Minister, Mr. Mkhuleko Hlengwa, have expressed shock and extended their deepest condolences to the families of the five children who lost their lives in a fatal crash involving a bus and a goods train at a level crossing in Middelburg, Mpumalanga. 

They also wished for a speedy recovery to the 20 children who were critically injured. They have once again made a clarion call to law enforcement agencies across the spheres of government to intensify their road safety campaign involving scholar transportation, as this is the second biggest crash involving scholar transport vehicle this month. 

The law enforcement authorities have reported that the bus driver fled the scene after the crash. The train driver and crew did not sustain any injuries. 

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the South African Police Services, the provincial traffic authorities, and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC). The preliminary report is expected in due course. 

The Minister and Deputy Minister have urged all road users to exercise extreme caution, especially at level crossings, and to adhere strictly to traffic regulations to prevent further loss of life. 

The Deputy Minister together with the RTMC, will on Thursday, the 1st of August visit the scene of the crash and members of the media are invited to join. 

Media Contact: 
Collen Msibi 
National Spokesperson 
066 476 9015