A sixth child has died following the horror crash in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, in May. Initially, five children between the ages of seven and 11 died after a vehicle transporting them to school crashed in AZ Berman Drive on 30 May this year.

The five children who died were sitting on the back of the bakkie. Another two were seated in front.

Western Cape Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie said the driver lost control of the vehicle and it overturned, flinging the children from the back of the vehicle.

Parents often arrange private transport for their children whose schools are far from home. These services are mostly arranged without the government’s involvement.

Read more in Daily Maverick: ‘Unimaginable tragedy’ as five pre-teen learners killed in horror smash in Cape Town

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Malcolm Pojie said the boy’s father had confirmed that his son, the sixth victim, had died.

Parents and relatives arrive at the scene of the horrific Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, scholar transport crash. (Photo: Xabiso Mkhabela)

The Grade 9 Lentegeur High School learner was airlifted to Groote Schuur Hospital after sustaining head injuries that left him in a critical condition.

“We can now confirm that a sixth learner who was airlifted due to serious injuries during the initial fatal accident on the 30th May 2023, that had claimed the lives of five pupils, has also succumbed to injuries after being hospitalised ever since,” Pojie said.

This is not the first time Mitchells Plain learners have been involved in a fatal crash while being transported to school.

Two primary school pupils died in separate incidents in April this year. One victim was from Hazeldene Primary School and the other was from Rocklands Primary.

Posters outside the AZ Berman Primary School in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, on 1 June 2023. (Photo: Gallo Images / Die Burger / Jaco Marais)

Mninikhaya Mvuli, the driver who lost control of his bakkie resulting in the May accident, has since been charged with five counts of culpable homicide and has appeared in the Mitchells Plain Magistrates’ Court three times. 

He is likely to be slapped with a sixth culpable homicide charge when he appears again in August.

The 56-year-old Mvuli’s niece was killed in the accident.

It has emerged that he did not have a permit to transport school children and he is not on any of the Western Cape Mobility Department’s databases.

Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier said they had been told of the latest death. 

“The collision had already claimed the lives of five young learners, and it is a great tragedy that a sixth has now been added. We offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and school at this very difficult time… our district office is providing support,” Maynier said. DM