KZN government plans to assist grieving Pongola families
KZN government has promised to lend a helping hand to the bereaved families of the Pongola collision with burials, RAF and counselling
The KZN government has announced plans to assist the grieving Pongola families whose family members were killed on the N2 collision.
KZN GOVERNMENT VISITS THE SCENE AND FAMILIES OF THE DECEASED
KwaZulu-Natal Acting Premier Nomagugu Simelane announced several interventions to assist the grieving families who lost their loved ones in the Pongola horrific accident last Friday, 16 September.
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Simelane also received confirmation that 20 lives perished, 18 of which were children aged between seven and 12, an educator and the driver of the bakkies that was transporting the children from school, which collided head-on with a truck on the N2 Highway.
ACTING PREMIER VOWS TO ASSIST THE PONGOLA FAMILIES
Addressing the families at Godlwayo Thusong Centre after visiting the accident scene, affected schools and families in their homes, Simelane alongside KZN Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Sipho Hlomuka and KZN Education Acting MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi, said the provincial government will support the families from funeral arrangements, counselling of family members, pupils in affected schools to ensuring that justice is achieved.
“Upon inspecting the accident scene and receiving a technical briefing on what might have been the cause of the accident, we are convinced that its tantamount to murder and the driver should be charged as such,” she reflected.
“We need to teach others a lesson through him. Families will never ever be able to see their children and he too must languish in jail. We will leave that to the courts but it should not be culpable homicide.”
Simelane
She went on to say as the KZN government they will engage with the families from now on until they bury their loved ones.
“We have brought with us all relevant government entities including the Road Accident Fund which will assist family members with claims but we will intervene as government and assist in the funeral arrangements,” Simelane committed.
“Our teams will be here to talk to families and see whether they are willing to do a mass funeral. Of course, this will be in agreement with all families because we are cognisant of their cultural and religious beliefs,” she added.
Simelane said the government will soon meet with the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) to discuss the issue of expanding the N2 Phongolo strip.
“Extending the road would be a long project that can take years. Immediate interventions would be erecting speed humps and increasing law enforcement working with Provincial Road Traffic Inspectorate and local traffic officers.”
Simelane
She also said MEC Hlomuka will be meeting with Minister Fikile Mbalula this week and we will put this issue on the agenda.
“We cannot sit and relax while the trucks are terrorising communities and other road users in uPhongolo. We will also be meeting with truck companies for them to deal with their drivers who are bullying other road users,” Simelane vowed.
TRUCK DRIVER APPEARS IN COURT TODAY
ALSO READ: Truck driver who fled after fatal N2 Pongola accident arrested
The driver of the truck believed to be the cause of the accident appeared in uPhongolo Magistrate Court and was remanded in custody pending his bail application on Monday, 26 September 2022.
MORE ON THIS: N2 Pongola crash: Truck driver, 28, remanded in custody
