South Africa: Vaal Crash Bus Was Roadworthy - Putco

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South Africa roads.

Pretoria — A bus that plummeted off a bridge, killing 19 people in the Vaal Triangle on Monday, recently underwent a roadworthy test, a Putco official said.

Spokesman Raphiri Matsaneng said the driver of the ill-fated bus which crashed in Meyerton had been employed by Putco since September 2011. He was killed in the accident.

"The bus had undergone a roadworthy test on June 14 this year," he said.

"The bus was travelling from Sebokeng to Henley on Klip (near Meyerton in the Vaal Rand) and it was certified to carry 85 passengers -- 65 seated and 20 standing," said Matsaneng.

He said 55 adult passengers were injured.

"There were only passengers going to work and no children were on board," he said.

Matsaneng said the cause of the crash had not been determined and the company would commission an independent investigator to ascertain the cause.

Earlier, ER24 spokeswoman Vanessa Jackson said the injured were rushed to different hospitals in the greater Vaal region.

She said two of the three critically injured were airlifted to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.

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The accident happened when a bus plummeted off a bridge in Meyerton, in the Vaal Triangle, killing 19 people. Read more »