- Bus company Putco is working with traffic police to train 600 drivers before thousands of people travel for Easter holidays.
- Salome Monyahi is joining the pilgrimage to Moria for the first time since Monyahi’s son died in a bus crash.
Salome Monyahi is preparing for a difficult trip to Moria this Easter. The 54-year-old is joining the pilgrimage for the first time since Monyahi’s son died in a bus crash.
Monyahi’s son was one of 45 people who died in the Mokopane bus disaster in 2024. The bus lost control and fell off a bridge on the Mamatlakala mountain before catching fire. Monyahi said Monyahi still struggles with guilt because Monyahi left for the trip two days before his son.
Monyahi said Monyahi has not recovered from the trauma of that day.
Putco is now training 600 drivers to make sure travellers are safe this year. Thousands of Zion Christian Church members will use the bus service to travel to Limpopo for the holidays. Traffic will start to increase from 5 April.
The bus company is working with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department and the Gauteng Traffic Police to train the drivers.
Putco spokesperson Lindo Xulu said the company is working with partners to make drivers more alert. Xulu said drivers must be ready to react during the busy period.
Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson Sello Maremane said bus drivers must take full responsibility for safety on the road. Maremane said it is important to check that buses are safe to drive before they leave.
Maremane said reckless driving and unsafe overtaking still cause many crashes. Maremane also asked people walking near busy roads to be careful.
Putco is using new technology to watch buses 24 hours a day. The company uses cameras and a control centre to track how fast drivers go. Lindo Xulu said the system shows if a bus is standing still when it should be moving.
Salome Monyahi hopes the government and bus companies will keep their promise to make roads safer.
Pictured above: A Putco bus.
Image source: Putco/Facebook
