Mbalula: Driver error to blame for Pongola crash

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Thursday released the findings of the Road Traffic Management Corporation's probe.

"Report found that the driver of the articulated truck overtook multiple vehicles, where this action was prohibited by no-overtaking lines, in a dangerous and unlawful manner. 

“This driver recklessly overtook vehicles and drove on the oncoming lane for approximately 1.2 kilometres. These vehicles had to swerve out of the way."

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"The driver never made any attempts to return to his correct lane, but continued driving against oncoming traffic. The report concludes that driver error is the major contributing factor to the root cause of the road crash."

Eighteen schoolchildren and two adults were killed when the truck collided head-on with a bakkie on Friday afternoon.

The van had been transporting the children, who were between the ages of five and 12. 

Mbalula says the bakkie driver also broke the law.

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"The driver of the van was transporting scholars at the back of the van. This is illegal and extremely dangerous for the passengers on the back of a goods vehicle." 

The truck driver, 28-year-old Sibusiso Siyaya, is said to have fled the scene.

He handed himself over to police on Saturday.

He remains in custody and is waiting for his bail hearing on Monday.