A bus overturned on Jakes Gerwel Drive and Klipfontein Road in Athlone. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town - The families of the victims involved in the Golden Arrow Bus Services accident say they frantically called their loved ones when they heard of the crash.
The Golden Arrow bus flipped on Monday morning on Jakes Gerwel Drive.
Marlize van Rooi, Amy Carelse and Yarick Damons were killed in the accident.
Another victim, Asheeqah Jacobs, who was injured, was on her way to work at Century City.
Her uncle Sheraaj Lakay said: “We saw that there was an accident and someone called and said that it could be Asheeqah’s bus.
“I started calling her and her phone was off, and we thought because she always has her phone off when she travels. Someone then confirmed that it was the bus she took to work. And then we rushed to the scene and she was taken to hospital, where she had an operation and it was successful. Her arm was wounded, her face was swollen, and she had internal bleeding, and there is also something wrong with her pelvic bone.”
The girl’s grandfather Faizel Lakay said no one from Golden Arrow has reached out to them.
“We want to know what speed the driver was driving at when the accident happened? Did they test him before he started driving the bus? Was he drunk? We have questions and we have not heard from Golden Arrow. It was painful to see how Asheeqah was trapped under the bus, bleeding from her head after she was flung out.”
Theodore Damons said he received a phone call from a stranger informing him that his son Yarick was in the accident.
“The couple, who were driving past the accident, went to collect the phones they could find on the ground and tried to make contact with the owners’ relatives to tell them about the tragic accident. When my son left home, he was going to work at a call centre in Maitland. And the next thing we got the call. This is still shocking to us as a family. Yarick was such a kind and loving person.”
Police spokesperson Zita Norman said the bus was travelling from Mitchells Plain Town Centre to Century City when it skidded on the wet road into a lamp pole and overturned.
“Thirty-five passengers were on the bus and three were deceased at the scene. Passengers injured were taken to various medical facilities for treatment.
“A case of culpable homicide was opened at Athlone SAPS. Passengers who were on the bus are kindly requested to make contact with the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Jakobus Smidt, on 021 697 9238/39.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za