Vanderbijlpark crash driver facing murder counts granted R3k bail

The Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court has granted Ayanda Dludla R3 000 bail after a crash that claimed the lives of 14 learners.

According to The Citizen, the court granted bail on 9 September following the deadly January crash on the R553 Golden Highway in the Vaal area.

Dludla faces 14 murder charges, along with traffic-related charges, in connection with the collision that killed 11 learners at the scene. Another three learners later died in hospital.

The decision comes months after the crash left families and communities mourning the loss of children.

Defence points to learner status

During the bail proceedings, Dludla’s defence told the court that he is a slow learner and had misjudged the distance involved in the crash.

The defence argued that he would not pose a danger to the public and was not a flight risk.

The National Prosecuting Authority opposed his release, pointing to the public anger surrounding the case.

The magistrate ultimately granted bail of R3 000.

A community still dealing with loss

For communities across the Vaal, the crash remains tied to the devastating loss of young lives on a journey that should have ended with learners safely reaching their destination.

The scale of the tragedy has also kept the case firmly in the public eye, with the deaths of 14 learners continuing to weigh heavily on the community.

Dludla’s release on bail does not bring the criminal case to an end. The murder and traffic charges against him remain before the court.

The bail decision now marks another stage in a case that has drawn intense public attention since the January tragedy.