Unlicensed taxi driver sentenced to 10 years for incident that killed nine learners

Nkosinathi Sibanyoni, 28, who did not have a driver’s license, will spend a substantial amount of time in prison after being found guilty of culpable homicide for an incident in Mayflower, Mpumalanga that killed nine children in February 2022.

Sibanyoni was sentenced to a total of 10 years imprisonment.

On the day of the incident, Sibanyoni was driving a minibus taxi that plummeted into the river, killing nine youngsters aged four to 12.

Police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said the court heard that Sibanyoni was somehow responsible for transporting students to and from school.

“The million dollar question remains as to why did he put the lives of the learners by driving without a driver’s licence as this was a recipe for disaster.

“On that sad day around 4pm, what no one could wish for happened, the terrible accident that took the precious lives of the little ones,” Mdhluli said.

He added that it was revealed in court that he parked his taxi between Dundonald and Mayflower near Elukwatini.

The taxi was occupied by children, and it was later determined that the driver failed to take safety precautions to prevent the car from driving.

“So at that time, he took one of the children and was busy enabling the child to cross over the road when the taxi he left unattended, moved then went straight then plunged into the nearby river, resulting in the nine children losing their lives.”

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Saps in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, noted that the punishment should serve as a deterrent to anyone who might consider Sibanyoni’s acts.

“The threat to road safety, including that of children on our roads remains a concern in our society hence the efforts by the state to address this situation, including the arrests of anyone involved in unwarranted or illegal issuing/receipt of driver’s licences.

“The sentence should also send a strong message to motorists, that roads are meant to be safely used by all people, including drivers, commuters as well as pedestrians, not for drivers only,” Mkhwanazi said.

IOL