Minibus carrying students collides with truck in Johannesburg

(MENAFN) Thirteen students died Monday when a minibus transporting them to school collided with a truck south of Johannesburg, South African police reported. Several other children were seriously injured.

The accident occurred near Vanderbijlpark, roughly 60 kilometers from Johannesburg. Police indicated the minibus driver may have lost control while attempting to overtake other vehicles. The death toll increased after one of the injured children succumbed to their injuries, according to the provincial education department.

Provincial Education Minister Matome Chiloane said the victims were from both primary and high schools. Social media images showed the crushed minibus along the roadside, with parents grieving behind police lines. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi described the scene as “terrible.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed condolences and emphasized the need for stricter road safety enforcement and improved school transport services, calling learners “the nation’s most precious assets.”

Many South African families rely on private minibuses due to limited public transportation. The country has faced repeated tragedies involving school transport, including a September crash in KwaZulu-Natal that killed five students and injured eight, and a July 2024 accident near Johannesburg where 11 children died after a minibus overturned and caught fire. Road fatalities remain high, with more than 11,400 deaths reported in 2025, according to the transport ministry.

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