A school morning that ended in silence: What we know about the Vaal tragedy

A school morning that ended in silence: What we know about the Vaal tragedy

The school bags were packed. Uniforms were pressed. For many families in the Vaal, Monday morning began like any other first day back at school, full of routine, nerves and quiet hope.

By mid-morning, that ordinary day had turned into a nightmare no parent should ever have to face.

Fourteen learners lost their lives in a horrific crash on the Golden Highway, a stretch of road many parents know all too well. The tragedy has plunged the country into mourning and sparked renewed outrage over the safety of private scholar transport.

13 learners have tragically died, while a others were injured, in a scholar transport accident near Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal. This is after their transport collidedwith a truck on their way to school. pic.twitter.com/AzSzDl0C2t

phuti mathobela (@phuti_mathobela) January 19, 2026

What happened on the Golden Highway?

The collision happened shortly after 7am during the morning school run. A private scholar transport vehicle, believed to be a Toyota Quantum, collided head-on with a side tipper super link truck.

Early reports suggest the driver of the scholar transport attempted to overtake several vehicles, possibly between two and four in one manoeuvre. In doing so, the taxi moved into the path of oncoming traffic.

The truck driver reportedly tried to swerve to avoid the crash, but the impact was unavoidable.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi later described the scene as “unbearable”, a word echoed by emergency workers who arrived to find twisted metal and shattered lives.

This Vaal accident is horrific 😢 … sad to notice that the drivers side did not suffer much damage compared to the rest of the taxi.

He sacrificed the rest of the taxi so he could survive 🚮

How much should these taxi drivers keep paying traffic officers to turn a blind… pic.twitter.com/tXK1A5dBvj

Mosheki Daniel (@MoshekiD) January 19, 2026

The rising death toll

Initial reports confirmed 11 learners had died at the scene. As the day unfolded, the number climbed. Police later confirmed that additional learners succumbed to their injuries in hospital, bringing the death toll to 14.

The victims were pupils from different primary and secondary schools in the area, children at various stages of their schooling, all simply on their way to class.

Several other learners remain critically injured in hospital. The driver of the scholar transport survived but was injured and admitted for medical treatment.

Warnings that came too late

Perhaps the most painful revelation came hours later. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane disclosed that the driver had been reprimanded just a week earlier for reckless driving.

For many parents, this detail cut deep. It raised urgent questions about how warnings are followed up and whether enough is being done to protect children who rely on private transport every day.

A system with dangerous gaps

The crash has exposed what officials now openly acknowledge: a weakly regulated private scholar transport sector.

While government-subsidised learner transport operates under clear rules, private operators fall into a grey area. Premier Lesufi admitted that private scholar transport has “lots and lots of loose ends” and has gone unregulated for far too long.

In response, he has instructed the MECs for Education and Transport to urgently engage with private operators to tighten oversight and introduce stricter rules.

The timing of the crash has added to the pressure. It happened just as the South African Human Rights Commission released a report highlighting long-standing safety and accountability concerns in the scholar transport sector.

A nation in mourning

President Cyril Ramaphosa led tributes from across the country, calling the crash a “devastating loss” and reminding South Africans that children are the nation’s most precious assets.

He pledged that authorities would pursue accountability and ensure psychosocial support for grieving families, schools and communities, support many say will be needed long after the headlines fade.

On social media, South Africans expressed heartbreak and anger in equal measure. Parents shared fears about sending children to school, while others called for immediate reforms before another tragedy strikes.

Police have launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. Authorities are urging parents and schools to verify that learner transport vehicles are roadworthy and driven by qualified, responsible drivers.

For now, the Golden Highway tragedy stands as a painful reminder of how quickly lives can be lost and how urgent it is to fix a system that failed the very children it was meant to protect.

{Source: IOL}

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