IT has been three years since the tragic passing of Alicia van Aswegen in a horror bus accident, and closure for her family finally seems near.
Along the Heatonville road (P253) outside Empangeni in 2012, Alicia and several other children including her then nine-year-old sister, Anel were travelling to Heuwelland Primary School in a private vehicle when the collision occurred.
Bus driver, Bongani Mkhize charged with culpable homicide, took to the dock last week at the Empangeni Magistrate’s Court where the case was remanded to 25 February for judgment.
It is alleged that the bus in question, which was transporting school teachers to Ntambanana, was in the lane of oncoming traffic due to evasive action while passing some obstruction in the road.
At the time of the accident, outraged Heatonville Farmers’ Association Chairman, Bill Nelson said that the road was notorious for accidents involving buses and that the drivers would regularly exceed the speed limit, drive in the centre of the road, race each other using both lanes and overtake on blind rises.
PHOTO: Lesley Naudé
