The horror Pongola crash in September 2022 resulted in the death of 20 people. The driver has since been sentenced to 20 years in prison. As South Africa grapples with the tragedy of 12 school children who lost their lives in a tragic crash this week, the country is reminded of the 22 lives lost three years ago in a similar fashion in Pongola, Kwa-Zulu Natal.
On Monday, 12 children died instantly when the minibus taxi they were travelling in crashed head-on with a truck. The driver of the minibus, 22, survived and has been charged with culpable homicide. Three others are recovering in the hospital.
The driver responsible for the Pongola crash that claimed 18 schoolchildren and two adults, Sibusiso Siyaya, is still serving a 20-year prison sentence, with nine months already spent in prison cells by January 2025. The Pongola crash took place onSeptember 16, 2022 – a light delivery vehicle had been transporting children home from school when the driver travelled in the oncoming lane, crashing into a truck. September 16, 2022 – a light delivery vehicle had been transporting children home from school when the driver travelled in the oncoming lane, crashing into a truck. Sibusiso Siyaya, the driver of the truck, fled the scene and was later arrested.
