VUWANI – Several school children using the Phadziri Bus Service as a means of transport from Malonga to Sibasa sustained serious injuries last Thursday after having to smash the rear emergency window and jumping to safety.

It is said that it often happens after school that some pupils drink alcohol at the back of the bus, where the driver cannot see them. This again proved the case last Thursday, when several young boys allegedly got completely drunk inside the bus and insulted some of the parents who also use the bus as monthly transport.

One of the inebriated learners started to fight and provoke learners while the bus was running. At that time, the driver was not aware that the boy was drunk and fighting with other learners. He thought the children were just making their usual noise. He suddenly heard glass breaking and children screaming.

The bus driver immediately stopped the bus and found that one of the drunken learners was busy harassing and threatening other learners. He tried to convince the young boy to stop. Unfortunately, the young boy did not listen to the driver and continued to harass the children.

While the driver was busy warning the boy, one of the boy's friends rushed to the driver's seat and grabbed the driver's fire extinguisher. He opened it and sprayed inside the bus.

Suddenly there was chaos as the children thought the bus was on fire. Panic-stricken children broke the rear emergency window and started to jump to the ground. Many of the children, some as young as four years, misjudged their jump and landed dangerously. Some even landed on their heads.

Several parents who were inside the bus, rushed out to control and stop the children from jumping to the ground. Five children were seriously injured and taken to the Tshilidzini hospital.

The driver of the bus, Khathu Donald Maswanganyi, told Mirror that the young boy was indeed drunk and that he still had a bottle of beer inside the bus. He said that he was not aware at the time that some of the school children were drinking inside the bus, because they are still too young to drink and smoke cigarettes. They apparently hid the alcohol in their school bags.

"I reported the matter to the bus owner and police station. The bus owner is going to deal with the matter and decide what it is going to be done. On behalf of the Phadziri bus service management, I would like to say that we are really sorry about this bad situation. It will not happen again," said Maswanganyi. The Vuwani police station opened a case of negligence and reckless driving against Khathu Maswanganyi.

According to the SAPS spokesperson at Vuwani, Insp Mangalani Ramulifho, they are aware that the driver of the bus was not to blame, but that a case had to be opened as part of procedure.

"We will monitor this situation, and if it continues, we are going to arrest perpetrators without hesitation. Please warn your children," said Insp Ramulifho