January 19, 2026 — Dalena Reporters
Vanderbijlpark, South Africa — South Africa has been plunged into mourning after a tragic road accident claimed the lives of at least 13 schoolchildren on Monday morning, raising urgent concerns about road safety and the regulation of scholar transport in the nation’s busiest province.
The fatal collision occurred at approximately 7 a.m. on Fred Droste Road near Vanderbijlpark, a town about 60 kilometres south of Johannesburg, when a private scholar transport minibus carrying learners to various schools attempted an overtaking manoeuvre and collided head-on with a side-tipper truck travelling in the opposite direction.
Authorities confirmed that 11 pupils were pronounced dead at the scene, with two others succumbing to injuries later at hospital, bringing the confirmed death toll to 13 children. At least three other pupils remain hospitalised with serious injuries, while the minibus driver was also injured and taken to medical care.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy, calling the loss of young lives “devastating” and underscoring the imperative to protect learners on South Africa’s roads. “Our children are the nation’s most precious assets, and we must do all we can from observing the rules of the road to ensuring that vehicles entrusted with transporting our children are safe and roadworthy,” Ramaphosa said in his public remarks.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube extended her heartfelt condolences to the families, classmates, teachers and school communities affected by the crash. She also reiterated the government’s commitment to providing psychosocial support to families and pupils in the aftermath of the horror.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane and Premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the scene, where they observed emergency response operations and spoke with officials and grieving relatives. Chiloane described the crash as an “immense loss,” stressing that authorities will pursue a thorough investigation into whether the minibus operator was compliant with safety regulations.
Police have opened a culpable homicide investigation, with preliminary findings indicating that the minibus driver attempted to overtake vehicles without clear visibility and collided with the oncoming truck a manoeuvre that may have been a contributing factor to the tragedy. “We are investigating all circumstances of the collision, including possible reckless driving, and charges will be determined as the inquiry continues,” said a police spokesperson.
The Vanderbijlpark crash has reignited longstanding criticism of South Africa’s road safety record, which saw more than 11,400 fatalities in road incidents during 2025, despite a slight decline from the previous year. Reckless driving, speeding and inadequate enforcement of transport regulations have been cited by officials and safety advocates as persistent drivers of road deaths nationwide.
Transport authorities, community leaders and education stakeholders are now under pressure to strengthen oversight of scholar transport services, particularly those operated privately — where issues such as driver vetting, vehicle maintenance and compliance with safety protocols have repeatedly drawn concern.
Grieving parents and families gathered at the crash site today, some pushing past police lines to identify their children amid scenes of raw emotion and sorrow. Their anguish reflects broader public outrage over a preventable tragedy that has shattered lives and reignited demands for urgent road safety reforms.
As emergency crews continue to provide care for the injured and investigators reconstruct the sequence of events, the nation faces difficult questions about how best to protect its youngest citizens on the daily commute to school and how to prevent such heartbreaking loss from being repeated.