Matsha student warned driver of overloaded truck
Sharon Mathala | Monday February 1, 2016 16:16
He told The Monitor yesterday at the Molepolole College of Education where they are attending a six-month counselling session that he warned the driver that the truck was overloaded.
“I finished early and waited for others in the truck that was parked by the gate. Other students started to board the truck, but quickly the truck was too full, and overloaded. There was no space for others to sit down. I personally went up to the driver and alerted him of what was going on. “I told him it was overloaded. He did not bother to check for himself and instead told me that if I had a problem with it I was free to use public transport,” said the student, adding that he had no choice but to join the others on the dangerous journey. Just before Dutlwe village in the Kweneng District, the truck overturned killing seven students on the day and another died a month later.
The accident left many of the students hospitalised, who have since been discharged with only one still in the Intensive Care Unit. The student further accused government of failing to live up to its promises.
“After being discharged from hospital I went home, and continued like nothing happened. Even on Sunday when we were brought here I had already started looking around for a job.“
The student complained that they have not been regularly briefed as promised and they do not know what the future holds for them.
“The minister has not even come here to see us. We were only told we will be here for six months for counselling and we will also be attending classes,” said one student. During The Monitor visit, the students were attending their orientation.
However, the school management is reportedly in the dark about the whole counselling venture and allegedly feels that the students have been dumped on them.
An insider said, “They were brought here on Sunday. We were not briefed clearly what the situation is. But they were given two blocks at the dormitory, one for the girls and one for the boys”.
The deputy headmaster refused to field questions by The Monitor directing all enquiries to the district commissioner.