[4] A survivor recounted years later, that the passengers were in high spirits and the bus seemed to be travelling at a higher than normal speed, when it suddenly swerved and went nose first into the dam.
She swam out a back window and made it to the top of the bus which was covered by about 30cm of water before attempting to turn around for her friends and sister, but stopped when she noticed they were pale and looked like mannequins.
[7] About 3,000 people, including dozens of tearful and hysterical parents, gathered near the scene as doctors and nurses battled to revive children pulled from the submerged bus.
[4] The following children lost their lives in the disaster:[8] The minister of health and welfare, Nak van der Merwe, announced a special fund that was to be used to help cover funeral costs for parents of victims.
[9] Khumalo later stated that he was unaware the victims were children and had recently read about the celebrations of the deaths of black people during apartheid and felt angry at the difference he saw between the historical events.