JOHANNESBURG — At least 13 schoolchildren have died after a school minibus collided head-on with a truck in South Africa’s Gauteng province, authorities said, with the death toll rising when a critically injured child later died in hospital. Several other pupils remain in serious condition.
The crash happened at around 7:00 a.m. on Monday (January 19, 2026) on a road in the Vaal/Vanderbijlpark area, south-west of Johannesburg, as the private minibus transported children to both primary and high schools, officials said. Police and emergency services said 11 children died at the scene, while two later died in hospital. The driver of the minibus was among the injured.
Witness accounts cited by authorities indicated the minibus was attempting to overtake stationary vehicles when it struck an oncoming truck, though investigators are examining the actions of both drivers. Police said the truck driver would be questioned as part of the probe.
Images from the scene showed the minibus crushed on the roadside as distraught parents gathered behind police tape to identify victims. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi described the aftermath as devastating, while national leaders called for urgent action to protect learners who rely on informal transport systems.
In a condolence message, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged stronger enforcement of road safety laws and better oversight of school transport services, as the tragedy renewed scrutiny of South Africa’s crash and fatality rates. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said driver error is a frequent factor in scholar transport incidents and called for stricter checks to ensure vehicles used to carry learners are roadworthy.
The crash again highlights South Africa’s broader road-safety challenge. Official 2025 data cited by the government shows 11,418 fatalities from 9,674 crashes nationwide in 2025.
