Tragic Minibus Accident Claims Twelve Schoolchildren in South Africa

 

On Wednesday, twelve pupils and their driver tragically lost their lives when their minibus collided with a small truck and caught fire on a Gauteng provincial road. The incident occurred in Merafong, west of Johannesburg, just a day after schools resumed following the winter holidays.

Seven other children were injured in the accident. Reports indicate that the minibus crashed into the rear of a small truck, causing it to flip and ignite.

Gauteng provincial government officials, including Panyaza Lesufi, visited the scene and the injured children at a nearby hospital in Carletonville. Steve Mabona, spokesperson for the Gauteng education department, confirmed that eleven of the deceased children were from Rocklands Primary School, while the twelfth was from Laerskool Blyvooruitsig in Carletonville.

Describing the event as a “horrific accident,” Mabona stated, “the pupils’ transport was hit from behind by a bakkie, causing it to overturn and subsequently catch fire.”

The tragedy highlights the reliance of many Gauteng children on private minibuses for their daily commute to school, emphasizing the need for improved safety measures for school transportation vehicles to prevent future incidents.