{"id":49907,"date":"2024-02-07T11:07:33","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T09:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/school-community-in-mourning-when-6-learners-dies-in-bus-accident-20240207-2\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T09:52:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T07:52:28","slug":"school-community-in-mourning-when-6-learners-dies-in-bus-accident-20240207-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/school-community-in-mourning-when-6-learners-dies-in-bus-accident-20240207-2\/","title":{"rendered":"School community in mourning after 6 learners die in gruesome bus accident"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Messages of condolences are streaming in after the tragic bus accident that claimed the lives of six learners of the Riebeeckstad High School who were returning from a girl\u2019s camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The accident happened when the bus that they were traveling in overturned on the R70 Ventersburg- Senekal road about 30km from Ventersburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The accident has left the community devastated, and messages of shock and support are flooding social media platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Injured learners were transported to various hospitals in Welkom, Virginia and Senekal. Six learners unfortunately were declared dead at the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div contenteditable=\"false\" data-embed24=\"Images\" data-pos=\"middle\" id=\"embed_cb865b31\">\n<div class=\"slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-smallsrc=\"https:\/\/cdn.24.co.za\/files\/Cms\/General\/d\/10667\/5330622188df4cb59dd55c302258c3ea.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/8cf4c7304d944f60a233c66ed1efb294.jpg\" title=\"The details surrounding the tragic bus accident on Tuesday afternoon will be investigated. Photo: Free State Health\"><p><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">The details surrounding the tragic bus accident on Tuesday afternoon will be investigated. Photo: Free State Health<\/div>\n<div class=\"img_accreditation\"><span class=\"source\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><span class=\"photographer\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>According to a spokeperson from Bongani, they received 24 casualties of which four were severely injured with head and spine injuries. He says twenty patients had minor injuries and were treated and discharged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ten patients including the driver were admitted to the Senekal Hospital, two were admitted at RH Matjhabeng Hospital in Welkom and ten to Medi Clinic Welkom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A statement issued by the Premier of the Free State Mxolisi Dukwana says the girls were on the way from an outdoor event in Moolmanshoek near Rosendal to Riebeeckstad in Welkom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis tragedy struck as we were busy celebrating the success of the matric class of 2023. The deaths of those souls has robbed us of the future of our province. Words fail me and I can only imagine what the families are going through. I\u2019d like to express my profound condolences to the bereaved families and to also wish the injured a speedy recovery,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div contenteditable=\"false\" data-embed24=\"Images\" data-pos=\"middle\" id=\"embed_0eff309c\">\n<div class=\"slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-smallsrc=\"https:\/\/cdn.24.co.za\/files\/Cms\/General\/d\/10667\/2a4062f433134f0e96e761a5dbcbcd89.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/d68a6158673645c9ba1be71fa09c3fc4.jpg\" title=\"The bus overturned on the R70 Ventersburg-Senekal road about 30km from Ventersburg. Photo: Free State Health\"><p><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">The bus overturned on the R70 Ventersburg-Senekal road about 30km from Ventersburg. Photo: Free State Health<\/div>\n<div class=\"img_accreditation\"><span class=\"source\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><span class=\"photographer\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Messages of condolences are streaming in after the tragic bus accident that claimed the lives of six learners of the Riebeeckstad High School who were returning from a girl\u2019s 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