A road accident near Johannesburg has thrown the nation of South Africa into mourning after a collision between a school transport vehicle and a truck claimed the lives of at least 13 young students. The horrific incident occurred on Monday morning, January 19, 2026, in the Vanderbijlpark area, turning a routine commute to school into a scene of unimaginable heartbreak for families and the local community.
Okay News gathered that the crash took place at approximately 7:00 a.m. local time as the private minibus was ferrying students to various schools in the southwest of Johannesburg. Preliminary figures indicate that eleven of the children were declared dead at the scene of the accident, while two others succumbed to their severe injuries after being rushed to nearby medical facilities.
According to witness accounts provided to authorities, the fatal crash appears to have been caused by a dangerous maneuver. Reports suggest that the driver of the minibus attempted to overtake stationary vehicles on the road, leading to a catastrophic head-on collision with an oncoming truck. The impact was severe, leaving the minibus mangled and trapping the occupants inside the wreckage.
Emergency services responded swiftly to the distress calls, transporting the surviving injured, including the driver of the minibus, to Sebokeng Hospital and Kopanong Hospital for urgent medical attention. Law enforcement officers have since secured the scene and launched a full-scale investigation to determine the precise circumstances of the crash, with the truck driver expected to undergo questioning as part of the inquiry.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed profound distress over the calamity, noting the tragic irony that the accident coincided with the release of a South African Human Rights Commission report on scholar transport safety. In an official statement, the President extended his condolences to the bereaved families, emphasizing that the loss of young lives is a heavy blow to the nation and calling for stricter adherence to road safety regulations to protect students.
Earlier on the same day, the South African Police Service (SAPS) had issued a public plea urging parents and transport providers to prioritize caution as schools reopened. The authorities highlighted the recurring issue of road fatalities involving learner transport, stating that such incidents are preventable. As the investigation continues, the government has pledged to provide psychosocial support to the affected families and classmates of the victims.
