The death toll from the scholar transport crash involving a minibus and a truck in Vanderbijlpark on Monday has been confirmed at 12, following clarification by the Gauteng Department of Health and Wellness.
Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko moved to correct misinformation after earlier reports claimed that the number of fatalities had risen to 14.
“We wish to address and dispel the unverified reports suggesting that the number of fatalities from the Vanderbijlpark learner transport accident has risen to 14,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
“The confirmed number of learners who lost their lives and were collected from the scene remains at 12 as reported yesterday.”
She warned that the spread of unverified information during moments of crisis causes unnecessary distress to families and communities.
Grieving Mother Urges Parents to Check Scholar Transport
Meanwhile, according to the SABC, Josephine Mokhobo, a mother who lost her daughter in the crash, has urged parents to ensure that scholar transport vehicles are safe and roadworthy.
Mokhobo said her daughter had only used the transport for four days and had told her she was happy and had made a new friend.
“Losing my child has broken me,” she said.
“As parents, we must always check if the driver has a licence and if the transport is roadworthy. I trusted that man with my whole heart to take my child to school and bring her back safely. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
She added that her pain was compounded by the fact that the owner of the vehicle was allegedly a chairperson within the Vaal scholar transport sector.
Driver Hospitalised, Investigation Underway
The driver of the minibus was taken to hospital following the collision.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver was allegedly attempting to overtake several vehicles when the minibus collided head-on with a truck travelling in the opposite direction along Fred Droste Road.
SANTACO Clarifies Vehicle Classification
Gauteng chairperson of taxi organisation SANTACO, Midday Mali, clarified that the vehicle involved was not a public taxi, but a dedicated scholar transport minibus operating full-time in the learner transport sector.
“The vehicle involved belongs to scholar transport permanently,” Mali said.
“It was travelling from Sebokeng to Vanderbijlpark, dropping learners at different schools when the accident occurred.”
Mali said eyewitness accounts suggest the driver overtook three to four vehicles at once, leading to the fatal collision.
Call for Parental Vigilance
Mali urged parents to be more vigilant when choosing transport for their children, stressing the importance of checking both the condition of the vehicle and the fitness of the driver.
“It’s important that parents understand pickup times and school schedules. When drivers are late, they may feel pressured to speed,” he said.
“Parents should accompany their children, check the status of the vehicle and ensure the driver is in a proper condition to transport learners.”
Authorities have confirmed that psychological support services are being made available to affected families and schools as investigations into the crash continue.
