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The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) is deeply saddened by the road accidents that took place over the weekend in the Eastern Cape claiming the lives of about 46 working people. These unfortunate occurrences have left scores of other commuters injured.

The worst crash happened when 36 people were killed near Willowvale in the Eastern Cape;  the brakes of the bus failed, the driver lost control and it overturned. The driver also died in the accident. When the accident occurred the bus was carrying shoppers from five villages to Willowvale.

In a separate incident ten people were killed when a minibus taxi overturned after one of its tyres burst between Cradock and Graaff Reinet.

As SATAWU we send our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives. We also wish a speedy recovery to those who sustained injuries emanating from the accidents.

As a union that organizes in the transport sector we are acutely aware that these deaths have claimed mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. And more importantly the selfless and dedicated breadwinners of families.

The accidents highlight a need for safer public transport system in South Africa. SATAWU has had a longstanding campaign against unsafe and deadly road conditions that have exposed the working class (employed and unemployed) to death and disability due to highaccident rates and lack of safe, reliable and accessible public transport. We wish to reiterate this call to all the transport authorities responsible for the South African roads as to safeguard the lives of our people.

Year in and year out we bear witness to these fatal accidents and in most cases only workers (drivers) are held liable. Yet the biggest culprits; the owners are never brought to book. Workers are forced to drive buses and taxis that are faulty and when a calamity occurs the workers (drivers) bear the full might of the Law, yet the ownerspocket profits and walk scot-free.

We welcome the undertaking by the provincial government to assist in burying the deceased. We call for a speedy investigation into the cause of the two accidents. We also call on the Ministry of Transport as well as relevant authorities to take seriously the following:

We must educate our drivers about good driving and respect for life.
Un-road worthy buses and taxis must not be on the road. Testing stations need to abide by the rules and this should be enforced.
Owners of buses and trucks must be severely punished in the event of an accident if they are at fault.

Issued by SATAWU