Tragedy in Vanderbijlpark: Vaal crash death toll reaches 14
The 22-year-old scholar transport driver involved in the horrific crash that killed 12 learners in Vanderbijlpark is expected to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
Gauteng police and Education MEC Matome Chiloane have confirmed that the death toll from the Vanderbijlpark scholar transport crash has risen to 14, following the passing of two more learners in the early hours of Thursday, 22 January 2026, the SABC has reported,
The 22-year-old minibus taxi driver is scheduled to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court this morning. According to provincial police spokesperson Mavela Masondo, the driver now faces 14 counts of culpable homicide, as well as charges of reckless and negligent driving.
MEC Chiloane reported that while two additional learners succumbed to their injuries, four others remain hospitalised, with one recently discharged from the ICU.
Speaking to SABC News, the MEC issued a stern warning to scholar transport operators against overloading and using unroadworthy vehicles, emphasizing that such negligence continues to endanger lives.
This tragedy follows a separate incident in Lenasia where a driver was arrested for transporting over 20 children in a single vehicle without a valid permit.