MINISTER TOLASHE MOURNS LEARNERS LOST IN VANDERBIJLPARK SCHOLAR TRANSPORT TRAGEDY

By Staff Writer

• The Department of Social Development mourns with the families, schools and communities affected by the tragic loss of thirteen learners and extends heartfelt condolences during this difficult time.
• The tragedy highlights the need for child protection 365 days a year, in all spaces, including learner transport, with responsibility shared across society.
• The Department is mobilising trauma counselling and psychosocial support services and urges those in distress to access available support channels.

The Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe, has expressed deep sorrow following the tragic loss of thirteen school learners who died in a scholar transport crash near Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg, on Monday morning, 19 January 2026.

The collision, involving a school transport minibus and a lorry, has left families, schools, and communities devastated. The Department of Social Development (DSD) has extended its heartfelt condolences to all those affected, acknowledging the profound grief experienced by parents, caregivers, educators and classmates.

As the custodian of the Children’s Act (Act 38 of 2005), the Department has underscored that this tragedy is a painful reminder of the collective responsibility to protect children at all times. Child protection, the Department emphasised, must be upheld every day and in all environments, including during learners’ daily journeys to and from school.

Minister Tolashe conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families, noting the immense impact of the loss. She said the death of thirteen children in a single incident is a tragedy that has shaken the nation, and reaffirmed that the Department stands in solidarity with families and communities as they navigate this period of unimaginable loss.

Reiterating the importance of shared responsibility, the Minister stressed that safeguarding children requires the active involvement of families, communities, transport operators and all sectors of society. Children, she said, must be protected in every space where they live, learn and travel.

In response to the incident, the Department is working closely with relevant stakeholders, including the Department of Education, to ensure that trauma counselling and psychosocial support services are provided to affected families, learners and educators.