Gauteng government demands regulation of scholar transport following deadly crash

The Gauteng Provincial Department of Roads and Transport is considering drastic measures, with calls for a decisive stance on the urgent need to regulate the scholar transport industry continuing to grow.

This announcement by the MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, comes as the leaders, including Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, alongside the Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube, and the provincial MEC for Education Matome Chiloane, addressed the media briefing following a day of solidarity with affected families on Tuesday.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, which has left the community mourning, the provincial officials expressed their sincere condolences and pledged ongoing support to those grieving.

"We stand with you in this painful period, and we promise to provide unwavering support," Minister Gwarube reassured the families.

In an effort to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future, Diale-Tlabela highlighted the necessity of establishing regulations within the industry.

"One of the key challenges we face is that this industry is not regulated. We are now working with Sci Bono, the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), and other institutions in establishing advanced academies of driving," she stated.

Lesufi echoed the MEC's sentiments on the need for more proper control measures for the privately owned scholar transport industry, which carries a much bigger chunk of school learners.

"The public scholar transport system, which is government-led, carries more than 260,000 learners per day, and the private scholar transport is part of the family arrangement with drivers. On this one, it is very difficult to get the statistics, but the team is working on the statistics," he stated.

To the private sector involved in the transportation of thousands of learners, Lesufi called for more responsible handling of the sector.

"Those who are privately transporting children, this is the information that we want to share with you. From the 12th to the 18th of January, we have been embarking on an intensive evaluation of this industry. In Tshwane, we have issued no less than 335 notices for non-compliance, amounting to R535,000 in penalties," he said.

The officials' visit to the families coincided with reports revealing that Gauteng police have arrested the 22-year-old scholar transport driver involved in the accident that resulted in the tragic deaths of 12 learners in Vanderbijlpark on Monday, 19 January 2026.

The driver is expected to appear in the next 48 hours before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court on charges of 12 counts of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving.

The fatal crash, which shocked the country, appears to have resulted from the driver's alleged negligence, with eyewitness reports indicating an attempt to overtake a truck immediately before the collision.

Gauteng police spokesperson Lt Colonel Mavela Masondo stated that the arrest comes after the driver was discharged from the hospital and was immediately handed over to the police for processing.

"After the police visited the hospitals and the mortuary to verify the number of fatalities and injuries, it can be confirmed that 12 learners died at the accident scene and five were taken to the nearest hospitals for medical treatment, of which one has since been discharged. The driver of the truck that was involved in the accident escaped unharmed, while the passenger sustained injuries and was receiving treatment in the hospital."

The police also confirmed that the minibus taxi, which was certified for only 14 people, was transporting 18 passengers.

The Department of Education clarified that 12 children died in the crash, and one of the deceased children is still unidentified.

[email protected]