By Ayomide Otitoju
Thirteen pupils were killed and several others injured when a minibus carrying students collided with a truck south of Johannesburg on Monday, South African police confirmed.
The crash occurred near Vanderbijlpark, an industrial city approximately 60 kilometres from Johannesburg. Police said the minibus driver appeared to lose control while attempting to overtake other vehicles. The death toll rose after one of the injured children succumbed to their injuries, the provincial education department said. Victims were from both primary and high schools, according to Provincial Education Minister Matome Chiloane.
Social media images showed the mangled minibus on the roadside, with distraught parents gathered behind police tape, some breaking down upon seeing the bodies.
In a statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa extended condolences to the families and urged stricter enforcement of traffic laws and improved school transport safety to protect learners, whom he called “the nation’s most precious assets.”
The crash highlights ongoing road safety challenges in South Africa, where speeding, reckless driving, and poorly maintained vehicles contribute to frequent accidents. Many parents rely on private minibuses to transport children due to limited public transit options.
South Africa has witnessed several deadly school transport accidents in recent years. In September 2025, a minibus crashed into a creche in KwaZulu-Natal, killing five children and injuring eight. In July 2024, 11 children, some as young as seven, died when a minibus overturned and caught fire near Johannesburg after a collision with another vehicle.
According to the latest transport ministry data, over 11,400 people lost their lives on South African roads in 2025.
