Twelve pupils and their driver tragically lost their lives on Wednesday in South Africa’s Gauteng province when their minibus overturned and caught fire, just a day after schools had reopened following the winter holidays.
The fatal accident occurred in Merafong, west of Johannesburg, when a small truck collided with the back of the minibus transporting the children. The impact caused the minibus to overturn and burst into flames, resulting in the deaths of twelve children from Rocklands Primary School and Laerskool Blyvooruitsig in Carletonville.
Seven other children sustained injuries in the crash, prompting swift responses from education and transport officials who visited the scene and the injured children at a hospital in Carletonville. Panyaza Lesufi, head of the Gauteng provincial government, also visited the injured children to offer support.
Steve Mabona, spokesman for the Gauteng education department, described the incident as a “horrific accident” and confirmed that many schoolchildren in the province rely on private minibuses for transportation to and from schools, highlighting the risks associated with this mode of transport.
Investigations into the exact cause of the collision are underway as authorities seek to understand the circumstances that led to this devastating loss of young lives.