KwaZulu Private Ambulance Service's Newcastle and PMB teams were pushed to their limits this morning between 07:30 and 08:00 as two significant transport accidents involving school-aged children occurred across the province. A total of 21 students, aged between 10 and 16, required medical intervention following a bus crash in Newcastle and a taxi overturning in Pietermaritzburg.
Newcastle: Bus Careens into Ditch on P483
The first major incident occurred on the P483 near the Karbochem turn-off in Newcastle. A bus carrying approximately 30 passengers lost control while navigating a corner, veering violently off the roadway and plunging into a roadside ditch. The scene was one of frantic activity as first responders worked to triaging the young occupants.
Three students sustained serious injuries, including suspected spinal trauma and multiple fractures, requiring medical intervention. An additional seven patients were treated for minor injuries, ranging from soft tissue trauma to deep lacerations. The Newcastle Fire Department and Local Traffic Department were on-site to assist with co-ordination and scene safety. Traffic on the P483 was severely disrupted for over an hour as crews stabilized the wreckage and treated the injured before they were transported to various local hospitals.
Pietermaritzburg: Taxi Overturns on Khan Road
Shortly after the first report, KwaZulu Private Ambulance PMB teams were dispatched to Khan Road in Pietermaritzburg. A minibus taxi transporting learners lost control, collided with a boundary wall, and overturned. The force of the impact left one student with serious injuries, while ten others suffered minor injuries and shock.
The Fire Department and SAPS cordoned off the area to allow paramedics to work. Fortunately, traffic flow was only mildly affected for approximately an hour. All 11 patients were stabilized on-site before being moved to nearby medical facilities for further care.
Local authorities are currently investigating the cause of both collisions. While the severity of the accidents was high, medical teams expressed profound relief that no fatalities or life-threatening critical injuries were recorded.