Mystery surrounds true number of Matsha passengers
Thalefang Charles | Wednesday November 18, 2015 11:07
While it is known that 126 students were involved in the accident, the exact number that left Matsha College is unclear. An unknown number of students reportedly dropped off before the accident, just outside Dutlwe village.
Police expect the issue of passenger numbers to weigh on the causes of the accident and assist in issues of culpability.
Yesterday, the school head and the whole school management said they were also clueless on the exact number, joining Kweneng District Council, police and students whom Mmegi has interviewed in the days since the accident.
“I cannot confirm the number of students that boarded the truck. At the time of departure I was in the office, I did not even see how many students boarded the truck,” the school head, Phodiso Phori told Mmegi exclusively.
Mmegi can confirm that the Kweneng District Council sent one truck whilst Kgalagadi District Council sent a truck and a bus to Matsha to fetch the students.
This publication can also independently confirm that the truck that was subsequently involved in the accident did not have a caretaker representative from the council.
Still visibly disturbed by the situation, Phori added that the school was not accountable for the transportation of students after releasing them from school.
“It is not the responsibility of the school how the student gets home. For those that are transported by the councils, it is the councils’ responsibility,” Phori stated.
Acting Education Director of the Kgalagadi region, Onalenna Senwedi, confirmed Phori’s statement, saying the school management did not sanction the transportation of the students on Friday.
Senwedi was however quick to add that the focus should not be on pointing fingers of blame.
A senior teacher at the school told Mmegi that his school never uses trucks on official school trips.
“We never transport students with trucks for our school trips, we only use buses. When students leave school during vacations and at beginning of terms, it is the council’s responsibility,” stressed the teacher.
Meanwhile Senwedi said that they have engaged a psychologist for the remaining Form 4 students, who are scheduled to write their own end of year examinations. The students revolted over the weekend after news of the truck accident, vandalising school property in rage.