Prosper Okoye
South African authorities have called for stricter road safety enforcement after a minibus carrying schoolchildren collided with a truck near Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg, killing 13 pupils.
The crash occurred on Monday when police said the minibus driver appeared to lose control while attempting to overtake other vehicles.
Several children were injured, and one later died, raising the toll to 13, the provincial education department confirmed.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelProvincial Education Minister Matome Chiloane said the victims included pupils from both primary and high schools.
Images on social media showed the crushed minibus on the roadside, with distraught parents gathered behind police tape.
Some broke down wailing as they were allowed to view the bodies.
“It is a terrible scene,” Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said.
In a statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised that everything must be done to enforce traffic rules and improve the quality of school transport services to protect learners, “the nation’s most precious assets.”
Many South African families depend on private minibuses to transport children due to limited public transport. The country has witnessed several deadly school transport accidents in recent years, including five pupils killed in KwaZulu-Natal in September and 11 children dying near Johannesburg in July 2024 after a minibus overturned and caught fire.
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Road safety remains a critical issue in South Africa, with more than 11,400 people losing their lives on roads in 2025, according to the transport ministry. Authorities have vowed tougher enforcement to prevent further tragedies.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
