Byline: Refeloe Letsoisa

17 September 2024

Nkosinathi Sibanyoni (28), who did not have a driver’s license, will spend the next decade behind bars following the calpable homicide incident that occurred in Mayflower and claimed the lives of nine children in February 2022.

On that fateful day, Sibanyoni was driving a minibus taxi that plunged into the river, killing the nine minors, aged between 4 and 12 years.

The court heard that Sibanyoni was somehow responsible for ferrying learners to and from school, though the million-dollar question remains as to why he put the lives of the learners at risk by driving without a driver’s license, as this was a recipe for disaster.

On that sad day around 16h00, what no one could wish for happened—the terrible accident that took the precious lives of the little ones.

It was heard in court that he parked the taxi that he was driving between Dundonald and Mayflower near Elukwatini. The said taxi was occupied by the children, and it was later discovered that safety measures to prevent the vehicle from moving were somehow not taken into consideration by the driver. So at that time, he took one of the children and was busy enabling the child to cross over the road when the taxi he left unattended, moved, then went straight, then plunged into the nearby river, resulting in the nine children losing their lives.

An investigation was conducted, leading to the arrest of Sibanyoni, who was trialled and convicted, hence his sentencing by the Elukwatini Regional Court on Monday, 16 September 2024.

Sibanyoni was sentenced to a total of ten (10) years imprisonment.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, indicated that the sentence should serve as a deterrent to others who might consider emulating the actions of the accused. 

“The threat to road safety, including that of children on our roads, remains a concern in our society, hence the efforts by the state to address this situation, including the arrests of anyone involved in unwarranted or illegal issuing or receipt of driver’s licenses.

The sentence should also send a strong message to motorists: that roads are meant to be safely used by all people, including drivers, commuters, and pedestrians, not just drivers. Once everyone understands the need to carefully use the road with much consideration of others, the better and such kinds of accidents can be  minimized,” said the general.