Game of chicken kills kids(6)

Sadness was written all over the faces of mourners at the mass funeral of six pupils who were killed in a taxi crash.

The six – Billy Ngubane (12), Senamile Ngubane (12), Wendy Zondi (12), Sandile Zondi (15), Mthokozisi Mgube (13) and Nosipho Myaka (14) were pupils at Cool Air Combined and Matatane Secondary schools in Dalton near Pietermaritzburg.

They were buried on Saturday. The six were killed when two taxis they were travelling in collided last Friday afternoon.

The drivers were allegedly playing “Chicken” – a game in which two drivers drive towards each other on a collision course.

One must swerve, or both may die in the crash, but if one swerves and the other doesn’t, the one who swerved will be called a chicken.

Both drivers didn’t want to be called chicken . . .

Eric Ngubane (47), who lost two kids in the crash, said one of the drivers was a relative!

“We warned him about this game but he did not want to listen. We’re even afraid of talking to people because he’s the reason the kids died this way,” he said.

KZN education spokesman Kwazi Mthethwa said the department would work hard to ensure that all schools were fully functional.

“This will eliminate the need for parents to send their children to faraway schools.

“We also call upon all road users to respect the rules of the roads.”

Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said: “The matter is still under investigation and the drivers have not been arrested pending finalisation of the investigation.”