By Charmaine Ndlela
Ayanda Dludla, the driver accused of causing a crash that killed 14 schoolchildren in the Vaal in January, has been granted R3,000 bail by the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court.
Dludla, 22, faces 14 counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and a charge of reckless and negligent driving following the crash involving the scholar transport minibus he was driving and a tipper truck on the R553 near Vanderbijlpark.
He also faces charges of driving without a valid driver’s licence, operating a scholar transport vehicle without the required permit and failing to possess a Professional Driving Permit (PDP).
Presiding Magistrate Phumeza Ngindo ruled that Dludla was not a flight risk, was unlikely to evade trial and did not pose a danger to society.
During the bail proceedings, the court heard that Dludla is a slow learner and had spent about eight months in custody.
The court also heard that he had been deeply traumatised by the crash and had a close relationship with some of the children who died in the collision.
The State argued that Dludla was a South African citizen and was therefore unlikely to flee the country to avoid prosecution. It also submitted that tensions within the community had eased following the crash.
Dludla initially abandoned his bail application during his first court appearance, telling the court he would not apply for bail.
He later returned to court to launch a bail application.
Dludla is expected to return to the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court as the State’s case against him proceeds.
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