Nine schoolchildren hurt in Glenwood crash as scholar transport safety comes under fresh scrutiny

Nine schoolchildren hurt in Glenwood crash as scholar transport safety comes under fresh scrutiny

An ordinary Monday afternoon turned into a frightening ordeal for families in Durban after nine schoolchildren were injured in a scholar transport crash in the Glenwood area.

The collision happened shortly after 3pm on Lena Ahrens Road near Rhodes Avenue, a busy stretch often clogged with afternoon traffic as pupils are ferried home from school.

Chaos at the scene

According to ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson, emergency crews arrived to find that a taxi transporting schoolchildren had collided side-on with a bakkie.

Paramedics quickly realised the seriousness of the situation.

“Nine children of various ages had sustained different injuries,” Jamieson said. “Additional ambulances were dispatched immediately.”

The injured pupils were triaged and stabilised at the scene before being transported to various hospitals around Durban for further medical care. The extent of their injuries has not been made public.

South African Police Service (SAPS) officers were also on scene, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Parents anxious, community shaken

News of the crash spread quickly on local WhatsApp groups and social media, with parents expressing relief that no fatalities were reported but also deep concern about yet another scholar transport accident.

Glenwood residents say the area sees frequent near-misses during peak hours, especially involving taxis and scholar transport vehicles navigating tight intersections and heavy traffic.

A painful national backdrop

The Durban crash comes at a time when scholar transport safety is under intense national scrutiny.

Only weeks ago, 14 young children were killed in a devastating head-on collision with a truck on the R553 Golden Highway in Vanderbijlpark, a tragedy that sparked public outrage and renewed calls for tougher enforcement.

In response, authorities recently impounded more than 60 scholar transport vehicles in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, after finding them overloaded, operating illegally, or without valid public driving permits (PDPs).

Blitz inspections expose alarming risks

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy personally oversaw a blitz inspection in Lenasia, where officials uncovered shocking violations.

One Suzuki Ertiga, licensed to carry just seven passengers, was found transporting 14 schoolchildren. In another case, a bus permitted to carry 60 pupils was packed with 98.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old scholar transport driver arrested in connection with the Vanderbijlpark tragedy has since abandoned his bail application, with the case postponed to 5 March 2026.

A warning that can’t be ignored

While Monday’s Durban crash did not claim lives, it has once again highlighted the fragile safety net protecting thousands of children who rely on scholar transport every day.

For many parents, the question is no longer whether inspections should happen, but whether they are happening often enough, everywhere, before another tragedy forces action.

As investigations continue into the Glenwood crash, families across KwaZulu-Natal will be watching closely, hoping this near-miss becomes a turning point rather than another forgotten warning.