3 killed in bus crash, 8 electrocuted to death as storms lash Western Cape
Eight people, including four children, died after they were electrocuted amid massive storms and flooding in Cape Town.
Disaster Risk Management teams say the children lost their lives in Klipfontein, one of the province's many suburbs picking up the pieces after a disastrous storm over the long weekend.
Torrential rains and strong winds lashed the Western Cape over the long weekend.
The other four people died in Driftsands.
Mop-up operations are underway as teams begin assessing the extent of the storm damage.
The city's Charlotte Powell says almost 1,000 structures have been affected.
"The city continues working closely with relevant external agencies, through the Disaster Coordinating Team, to monitor for and address impacts from the inclement weather experienced in the last 24 to 36 hours.”
Officials say three people died after floodwaters swept them away in Overberg.
“The Disaster Response Teams of the Tweewaterskloof Municipality resumed recovery and emergency mop-up operations after the two days of major flooding and infrastructure damages. The cold front has surpassed that brings much-improved conditions for the emergency response teams and engineering crews to accelerate the recovery operations," says Tweewaterskloof's municipal manager, Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.
Western Cape police are also investigating cases of reckless and negligent driving, as well as culpable homicide after three people died in a bus crash on Jakes Gerwel Drive in Cape Town on Monday.
The crash left 35 others injured in the crash involving a Golden Arrow bus.
“Upon their arrival in Jakes Gerwel Drive at around 8.45 am, they found a bus from a local company lying on its side in the road,” said Western Cape Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi.
“They immediately requested the help of the emergency services. Three passengers sustained fatal injuries and were declared deceased at the scene by the medical personnel, while 35 passengers sustained injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
“Athlone police registered cases of reckless and negligent driving as well as culpable homicide for further investigation.”
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