UPDATE: 5 children die after taxi-related accident in Pietermaritzburg - KZN Edu Dept

DURBAN - The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has confirmed that five children have died following a taxi-related accident in Pietermaritzburg.

A minibus taxi transporting pupils lost control and crashed into a classroom of a pre-school in the Imbali area on Thursday.

Police and other emergency services personnel made their way to the scene.

The accident comes a day after a learner was hit by a truck in the King Cetshwayo District, in northern KZN.

The KZN Department of Education said four learners, who were being transported to school died on the scene, while another died while being transported to hospital.

Several other learners sustained injuries during the crash.

The department said an official at the scene confirmed that the learners are from different schools in the area.

The department’s spokesperson, Muzi Mahlambi, explained: “We received the news that a taxi ferrying learner from various schools amongst them Sukuma hit a tree before ploughing into a day care centre which is a crèche - on the scene for learners perished while the 5th succumbed while on route to hospital.”

Law enforcement authorities including police and road traffic inspectorate officers arrived at the scene.