28 September 1999
The Springbok Atlas tourist bus disaster near Lydenburg, Mpumalanga which claimed the lives of 26 British tourists comes as a terrible shock.
On behalf of the South African Government I convey my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives. I have also expressed my deepest sympathies to the British High Commissioner in South Africa. Immediate steps are being taken to inform the families of the victims. To those who have been injured in this tragedy, I express the Government's wishes for a speedy recovery. The Springbok Atlas bus company is known to be a reliable and safe service provider which has been at the forefront of service to the tourism industry. It has a reputation for having one of the most modern and well- maintained bus fleets in the country.
The MEC for Transport in Mpumalanga and I have discussed the tragedy. We have agreed that a high-level government investigation will take place immediately to establish the cause of the disaster. Initial reports suggest that brake failure may have occurred. I want to assure all concerned that the investigation will seek to establish the facts as quickly as possible, and that lessons learned from this investigation are translated into concrete steps to prevent further tragedies.
Arising out of the two other tragedies involving buses last week and now this terrible disaster, I am convening a summit of the bus and taxi industries later this week to which I will be making specific proposals on concrete steps to arrest this trend of fatal crashes.
Issued by Mike Mabasa
Media Liaison Officer to Minister of Transport, Dullah Omar
Pretoria
28 September 1999
tel: 012 309 3131
cell: 083 680 7048