Johannesburg – At least 11 schoolchildren died in a horror crash when their minibus taxi was reportedly rammed into by a tipper truck in the Vanderbijlpark area, south of Johannesburg.
The private scholar transport minibus was heading to schools in Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark in the morning on Monday, 19 January 2026, when tragedy struck.
“Preliminary reports indicate that 11 learners have sadly lost their lives at the scene, while five learners who sustained critical injuries are currently en route to hospital for urgent medical care,” said the Gauteng Department of Education in a terse statement made available to The Bulrushes.
“At this stage, the scene remains active, and emergency services are still attending to the incident.”
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Education MEC Matome Chiloane were at the scene of a tragedy.
Two other children were said to have later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, raising the death toll to 13.
Reacting to the multiple deaths, President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his sadness at the loss of life in the collision involving a scholar transport vehicle.
He also expressed sadness at the loss of life in violence on the Cape Flats at the weekend.
At least 26 people died in violence on the Cape Flats over the weekend, while 13 learners died when the vehicle in which they were travelling collided with a truck near Vanderbijlpark earlier today.
“President Ramaphosa offers his deepest sympathies to all families and communities concerned and says government will work with citizens and community-based organisations to protect people’s lives in these different circumstances,” his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
On the schoolchildren’s transport tragedy, President Ramaphosa said it was particularly distressing that this incident had taken place on the day the South African Human Rights Commission published a report on scholar transport in the North West.
“The President’s thoughts are with the families, teachers, classmates, and friends of the young victims,” said Magwenya.
“Our children are the nation’s most precious assets, and we must do all we can – from observing the rules of the road to the quality of service providers appointed to transport scholars – to protect learners.”
President Ramaphosa said national and provincial authorities will provide families and schools with the necessary psychosocial support.
“With reference to the Western Cape tragedies, President Ramaphosa said communities could expect stronger law enforcement and increased police visibility to stabilise affected communities and reduce the potential for further violence,” Magwenya stated.
“President Ramaphosa recognises the fear to which criminals subject residents and therefore calls on communities to strengthen their partnership with law enforcement agencies in community policing forums.”
Magwenya said the President also urges residents to provide information – even on neighbours and family members – to police on an ongoing basis so that communities will instead become unsafe for criminals.
With the assistance of community members, the South African Police Service has been able to arrest 100 gang leaders and 106 runners in the past three months.
President Ramaphosa assured residents that the government was balancing short-term actions to prevent and respond to violence and stabilise communities, with long-term socio-economic interventions to improve social conditions and living standards.
