On Wednesday, a devastating accident near Johannesburg resulted in the deaths of twelve children when a minibus transporting them to school overturned and burst into flames after being hit by another vehicle, as reported by local authorities.
The minibus driver also perished in the incident, while seven other children were hospitalized, according to officials in Johannesburg’s Gauteng province.
Television footage revealed the minibus completely engulfed in flames following the early morning crash in Merafong, located over 70 kilometers (45 miles) west of Johannesburg.
The scene was strewn with charred schoolbook pages as police conducted their investigation.
“A private scholar transport minibus was involved in a tragic accident in the Kokosi-Wedela area in Merafong, claiming the lives of the 12 learners and their driver,” the Gauteng government confirmed in a statement.
Although the exact ages of the children were not immediately available, most were believed to be primary school students, typically aged between six and thirteen years old.
“They were burnt beyond recognition. When this happens forensics will have to do their part in terms of identification,” stated Gauteng traffic police department spokesman Sello Maremane to AFP.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the accident, which reportedly involved a small pick-up truck striking the minibus from behind, causing it to overturn and ignite.
The pick-up truck driver was also hospitalized.
By late afternoon, reports indicated that most of the hospitalized children had been discharged.
Gauteng education minister Matome Chiloane expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, saying, “I am profoundly saddened by this tragic event.”
Despite South Africa having one of the continent’s most developed road networks, it also suffers from a high rate of road accidents, often due to reckless driving and poorly maintained vehicles.
Chiloane emphasized the importance of vehicle safety, stating, “I have always said to parents we need to check the condition of the vehicles that we put our kids in,” while at the crash site.
Many parents in South Africa depend on private minibuses to transport their children to school.
This tragic event is part of a series of fatal accidents on South African roads this year.
In March, 45 people traveling to a religious event died when their bus fell off a bridge into a ravine in the northern part of the country.
The bus was coming from Botswana to Moria, where an Easter pilgrimage has recently attracted over a million worshippers.
In February, a bus crash claimed the lives of at least nine African National Congress supporters returning from an electoral rally.
In May, 13 people died in a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a truck in the northern province of Limpopo.
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