Heartbreak and anguish gripped Gauteng on Monday after a devastating crash involving a scholar transport vehicle claimed the lives of 13 children near Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg.
The learners, travelling to five different schools in Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging, were killed when the minibus taxi they were in collided with a truck. Their lives were cut short in an instant, turning what should have been an ordinary school morning into a scene of unimaginable tragedy.
Gauteng Police have since opened a case of culpable homicide as investigations into the crash get underway. Police Spokesperson Mavela Masondo says both drivers, along with eyewitnesses, will be questioned.
“No arrest has been made so far, but we will be obtaining statements from the driver of the truck, the driver of the scholar transport and eyewitnesses,” Masondo said.
At Sebokeng Hospital, scenes of raw grief unfolded as parents and relatives waited for news. Cries echoed through the corridors as families were told that more children had succumbed to their injuries, one after the other. Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko confirmed that nine bodies have been identified so far.
She said surviving learners may be transferred to other medical facilities should their condition worsen.
“We will make sure that they get all the necessary attention that they deserve because we have communicated with Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
“Should there be any complications that need them to be transferred, we have already activated the professors on that side.”
As investigations continue, communities across the Vaal are left mourning the loss of young lives, with parents facing the unbearable reality of children who will never return home from school.
