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Vanderbijlpark Scholar Transport Crash Kills Multiple Pupils as Death Toll Is Verified

The tragedy has prompted urgent calls for tighter oversight of scholar transport following the SAHRC’s report on systemic safety failures.

Overview

  • Gauteng’s education department reported a preliminary toll of 11 learners dead at the scene, with four to five others critically injured and taken to hospital.
  • Several outlets cited higher fatality figures, and authorities are working to reconcile conflicting counts and confirm the final number.
  • The collision occurred on Narrow Road when a minibus carrying pupils struck a heavy-duty truck, with Emergency Medical Services and SAPS investigating the cause.
  • Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Education MEC Matome Chiloane visited the site, while President Cyril Ramaphosa offered condolences and pledged psychosocial support for families and schools.
  • A newly released SAHRC report detailed systemic shortcomings in scholar transport—such as unroadworthy vehicles and overloading—fueling demands from civil society for stricter enforcement and accountability.