Pretoria – The Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has impounded a Nissan Livina which was transporting at least 20 pupils to school, along the Golden Highway.
“On Wednesday morning, while conducting a roadside check at Golden Highway and Union Avenue in Eldorado Park, JMPD operations officers stopped a maroon Nissan Livina transporting schoolchildren,” JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla told IOL.
“Upon inspection, officers found 20 learners packed in the vehicle. It was also discovered that the vehicle's licence disc had expired and that the braking system was not functioning properly.”
The vehicle was “immediately” impounded for number plate investigation, and the driver was issued with a fine for overloading.
“Driver and vehicle fitness is of utmost importance. It is equally important for parents to know what kind of vehicles their children are being transported in,” Fihla appealed.
“They are required to know if the vehicle is roadworthy, licensed, registered and that the driver has the correct documentation that allows him or her to transport their children for reward.
“Road safety remains a priority, especially for scholar transport. We can't allow unroadworthy and unlicensed vehicles to operate without the operator facing the consequence of the law,” the JMPD stressed.
Earlier this year, the number of fatalities in the horrific Mpumalanga crash where learners were killed when their transport vehicle crashed, increased to nine, following the discovery of another body metres away from the taxi crash scene.
The crash happened on the D267 Road between Dundonald and Mayflower, as the minibus taxi was transporting learners home after school.
The body of the ninth learner was found a day later.
IOL