Premier Modise saddened by railway crossing crash deaths

Loyiso Langeni
21 March 2014

North West Premier Thandi Modise is saddened by the deaths of three children who lost their lives after the vehicle they were travelling in was involved in a crash at a railway crossing in Rustenburg on Thursday. 

The Premier has called on parents to ensure that their children are transported in properly licensed scholar transport vehicles and not packed like sardines.

A car carrying 12 pre- and primary school children allegedly passed other vehicles who were waiting at the level crossing near Rustenburg.

Premier’s Spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele said in conveying condolences to the families that lost their loved ones in the crash and wishing those in hospital a speedy recovery, Premier Modise called on road traffic management authorities to clamp down on reckless driving, overloading, and illegal learner transportation.

“She said although Transnet spend R4, 8 million on the Road Safety Level Crossing Project launched in partnership with the Department of Transport and the Provincial Road Traffic Management to bring down level crossing fatalities which have caused over 30 crashes in the past five years in Rustenburg alone

Drivers who ignore rules of the road and warnings not to beat trains at level crossings are still putting lives of passengers at risk,” Kgwele added