Nxesi partly to blame for deadly Limpopo crash - Satawu
The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) is laying some of the blame for this week's deadly crash in Limpopo at the labour minister's feet.
Twenty-two people have died following Monday's collision in Louis Trichardt between a fully-loaded bus and a cash-in-transit vehicle.
The bus rolled off a bridge and plunged into a river.
The body of the latest victim was recovered from the water on Thursday.
The transport union says Minister Thulas Nxesi has failed drivers in the sector.
It says it's held several meetings with Nxesi around the tightening of labour laws in order to protect long-distance drivers from being overworked and exploited.
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The union's Amanda Tshemese says despite the discussions, there's been no intervention to help reduce the carnage on the roads.
"Drivers are abused, exploited and working irregular hours both in the passenger and freight sectors.
"The employer is greedy and unreasonable. How do you expect a truck or a bus driver from Limpopo to drive to the Eastern Cape on the same day- and be in the Western Cape the following day, driving alone or with just one driver? When do they get time to rest? The minister is failing, unfortunately."
Satawu's concerns come as just last year 21 people, mostly school children, were killed in Pongola when a truck crashed head-on with their scholar transport.
It sparked a wider conversation around pressures of long-distance drivers.
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