18 learners injured as scholar transport overturns on N1 near Vanderbijlpark
For many Vaal families, the journey to school has become a source of anxiety, with another scholar transport accident putting learner safety firmly in the spotlight.
Another scholar transport crash has raised fresh concerns about learner safety in the Vaal after 18 pupils were injured when their minibus overturned on the N1.
The accident happened yesterday (November 2) at around 06:40. The white Toyota Quantum was transporting learners to various schools in the Vanderbijlpark area.
According to police, the driver allegedly lost control after the vehicle’s left front tyre burst. The minibus veered off the road and overturned, reports Vaalweekblad.
Sedibeng District police spokesperson Sergeant Thembeka Maxambela confirmed that the injured learners and the driver were taken to Levai Mbatha Clinic, Nkanyezi Private Clinic and Mediclinic Emfuleni for medical treatment.
“The nature and extent of their injuries have not yet been confirmed. No fatalities had been reported at the time police visited the scene. Further details will be communicated once verified,” Maxambela said.
The latest crash adds to a growing list of devastating scholar transport accidents that have left Vaal families grieving and raised questions about the safety of children travelling to school.
On January 19, 14 learners died when their scholar transport minibus collided with a side-tipper truck along Fred Droste Road near Vanderbijlpark, on the old Golden Highway.
The driver, Ayanda Dludla, was arrested and charged with 14 counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder. After spending several months in custody, he was released on R3 000 bail in September. The case is expected to resume later this month.
His release sparked emotional reactions from bereaved families still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their children.
Last month, another tragedy struck when a scholar transport vehicle crashed near Sasolburg, claiming the lives of the driver and three young learners from JCS Independent School.
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