Durban — Truck driver Sibusiso Siyaya, 28, was sentenced to an effective 20 years in the Pongola High Court on Thursday, for the murder of 20 people after colliding with another vehicle in Pongola in 2022.
Acting Judge Garth Davis sentenced Siyaya to three years for reckless and negligent driving, and six years for failure to perform the duties of a driver after an accident. Additionally, Judge Davis sentenced Siyaya to 14 years’ imprisonment for the 22 counts of murder which he took as one for purposes of sentencing.
Davis ordered that the sentences for reckless and negligent driving and failure to perform a driver’s duties after an accident run concurrently. Davis also made an order that Siyaya’s driving licence be cancelled.
Those who died in the crash included children from the Ntshangase household Minenhle Anginavalo, 7, Nothando Ningabesabi, 8, and Thembelihle Prince, 11, as well as two children from the Simelane household – 5-year-old Thingo and 6-year-old Nkululeko, as well as 10-year-old Alwande.
Two more children, from the Nkonyane household, Sgcino Philasande, 6, and 14-year-old Mduduzi Nkonyane, were also killed.
The other children who died were Bandile Snenhlanhla Nyawo, 11, Asanda Paris Mhlongo, 14, Lwandle Mpilonhle Nkonde, 6, Kusekuhle Lizongathi Goba, 5, Junior Amile Thikazi, 6, Siyanda Nkosinathi Mlangeni, 13, and Mpilenhle Obenathi Makhangeza, 7.
The children were on their way home from school. Their teacher Zinhle Florence Mkhize, 28, also died.
The deceased, 18 pupils, a driver, and a teacher, were all travelling in a Toyota light delivery vehicle (LDV) in the oncoming lane with unlicensed Lethukuthula Sphephelo Nkonyane, 19, at the wheel.
The mothers of the children who perished in the crash took the stand during the State’s aggravation of sentence.
Nokuthula Namile Mamba, the mother of Siyanda told the court how she had been left traumatised and emotionally distraught by the death of her son.
“The person that committed this crime against our children has not shown any remorse including his family. I could see him in court, he was arrogant. His parents did not even bother to come to us to show empathy,” she said.
Celimpilo Mkhonza, the mother of the driver of the bakkie and Sgcino and Mduduzi, said that she was still emotionally wounded after losing all her sons at once.
“I will never recover from this. I have become short-tempered and intolerant, especially towards my husband and daughter at home. The unresolved pain and emotional scars are taking a deep toll on me and my husband.”
She said her daughter,18, was very close to her brothers, especially Sgcino.
“In fact, my family buried five children in that crash, because my sister-in-law’s two children also died in that accident.
“My mother-in-law’s sister was the one who went to the mortuary to identify the children. She became sick shortly after, she kept saying how badly injured the children had been.
“She became critically ill from stress and depression.
“Two weeks later she also passed on from the stress and trauma of losing five grandchildren.”
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