12 students die in collision between minibus and truck

Twelve primary school students died when their minibus collided with a truck south of Johannesburg, South Africa.

The local education department said the accident occurred at around 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Monday in Vanderbijlpark.

Authorities said Tuesday that 12 students died at the scene, a number down from 13 initially reported. Three others are being treated in intensive care, one of whom is in “seriously unstable” condition.

Police said the minibus driver crashed into the truck after trying to overtake two vehicles. He has been discharged from hospital and is currently in police custody.

Police spokesperson Mawela Masando added that a case of manslaughter would be opened.

The Gauteng education department said on Monday the details of what happened to the truck driver were “uncertain”.

Earlier, the provincial government said 13 students died, 11 on the spot and two later in hospital. A statement from the Gauteng provincial health department on Tuesday lowered the death toll, saying all deaths occurred at the scene of the collision.

Fatal road collisions are common in South Africa due to factors such as speeding, reckless driving and poor vehicle maintenance.

In 2025, 11,418 people will die in crashes, about 6% less than a year ago, but still equivalent to an average of 31 deaths per day.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called Monday’s crash “distressing.”

“Our children are the nation’s most valuable asset and we must do everything we can to protect learners, from following traffic rules to the quality of service providers designated to transport scholars,” the president added.