A school transport taxi lost control and collided with a tree in Mysore Road in Northdale, Pietermaritzburg.
Two accidents involving taxis carrying school children and another 10-car pile-up all occurred this morning, resulting in multiple injuries - and chaotic rush-hour traffic.
Twenty school children were injured in two separate school taxi accidents in Durban and Pietermaritzburg just after 7am today, Wednesday January 31.
Mysore Road in Northdale, Pietermaritzburg was turned into utter chaos when a school transport taxi lost control and collided with a tree.
“Ten schoolchildren, all under the age of 10, had sustained various injuries, ranging from moderate to critical, and were stabilised on the scene by Advanced Life Support Paramedics before being transported to a nearby Pietermaritzburg hospital for the urgent care that they required,” said ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson.
Another 10 children on their way to school in Wiggins Road in Cato Manor were involved in a taxi collision as well.
“Ten children were treated on the scene by our paramedics before being transported to a nearby Durban Hospital for the further care that they required,” said Mr Jamieson.
Further up the road, a 10-car pile-up on the N3 Durban-bound, opposite the Pavilion shopping centre in Westville, left one person injured.
Parents in Pietermaritzburg were angered by the taxi incident, especially after the taxi driver abandoned the vehicle.
“We are paying these taxis to transport out children. We are forced to use their services as they harass us if we use alternate forms of transport. The least they can do is ensure they have proper drivers and roadworthy vehicles,” said Isaivani Naidoo.
Mountain Rise police spokesman Warrant Officer Pancheal Singh they were investigating the case and that they had received several complaints about unroadworthy taxis transporting children.