Second Roadlink bus unroadworthy

2009-07-09 17:02

Johannesburg - A second SA Roadlink bus sent to pick up stranded passengers in Beaufort West after Tuesday's horrific bus accident was unroadworthy, the town's traffic chief Willie van Rooyen confirmed on Thursday.

"It was tested unroadworthy at a local municipality testing station. There were problems with the brakes, the engine cap was not fitted properly, and the left headlamp was loose," said Van Rooyen.

He confirmed that the driver had a permit but failed to comply with its conditions.

"This bus was pulled off the road because the driver did not adhere to the permit conditions which stated it could only travel from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth."

The coach was taken off the road just hours after another Roadlink bus was involved in an accident.

The first Roadlink bus lost control on the N1 freeway en-route from Johannesburg to Cape Town. Van Rooyen said this driver also failed to comply with his permit conditions.

"He had a permit but was not allowed to travel on the N1 freeway."

SA Roadlink spokeswoman Mapaseka Mashele has not been available for comment since 8am on Thursday.

Traffic authorities initially reported that eight people had died in bus crash. But on Thursday police confirmed that seven bodies had been recovered and said seven cases of culpable homicide had been opened.

Among the dead was a child. Fifty others were injured including the bus driver.

Van Rooyen said no arrests had been made but noted that once investigations were completed, the transport department would have to make recommendations on what action could be taken against the national transport operator.

Initial traffic comments indicated that the bus driver may have fallen asleep when his coach lost control and overturned.

Van Rooyen said the driver denied this allegation saying he had just lost control.

Western Cape police earlier said families of the bus victims began arriving in Beaufort West on Thursday to identify the bodies.

Some post mortems were still being carried out.

- SAPA