The professional driving permit (PDP) of the driver arrested in Monday’s tragic Vanderbijlpark private scholar transport accident, which claimed the lives of 12 pupils, expired last year.
The Sedibeng community has been in mourning after 12 young children tragically died in a head-on scholar transport crash on the R553 Golden Highway in Vanderbijlpark on Monday.
Gauteng police confirmed they have arrested the 22-year-old driver of the scholar transport vehicle that allegedly caused the fatal accident.
Vanderbijlpark scholar transport driver arrested
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi joined Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube, Education MEC Matome Chiloane, Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, Sedibeng Mayor Lerato Maloka, and Emfuleni Mayor Sipho Radebe for a media briefing on Tuesday afternoon.
The minister and the education MEC visited the grieving families before the briefing. The briefing aimed to provide an update on the circumstances of the incident, outline the government’s response, and detail interventions supporting the affected families, pupils, and the broader school community.
The premier confirmed that the families have identified all 12 pupils who died. Five children were injured, and two remain in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
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Lesufi said three drivers were involved in the accident: two in the truck and one in the taxi.
The truck driver took himself to the hospital after the accident and has made an appointment with the police to give a full statement.
The assistant truck driver was hospitalised and later discharged, while the taxi driver was arrested and will appear in court.
Driver’s PDP expired in November 2025
“Based on the work done by the police, we have now established that the PDP, which is the public driver’s certificate, had expired last year in November, and therefore he was driving without the necessary permits,” the premier said.
The government and private community are providing support to the grieving families, including burials, groceries, counselling, and general support.
Gwarube assured the media that support will be provided at local, provincial, and international levels, including psychosocial support.
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She mentioned commitment from the private sector and faith-based organisations to assist the affected families.
The minister said affected schools and their pupils will also receive psychosocial support, highlighting the importance of community support.
“We extend our deepest condolences. No parent should bury a child, let alone when the death seems so senseless,” she said.
Private scholar transport
Lesufi confirmed that the taxi involved in the accident was a private scholar transport. Gwarube said there are challenges in regulating private scholar transport arrangements.
“While we want to review a lot of the policy regulations around scholar transport, over 80% of the incidents that happen on our roads are due to driver error,” she said.
“It is because of motorists and drivers who are not behaving well on the roads, who are not adhering to the rules of the road, that we find ourselves often in these situations.”
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The minister has directed the police to take action to ensure compliance with traffic laws to prevent future tragedies.
In the meantime, Barbara Creecy, the minister of Transport, and Mkhuleko Hlengwa, the Deputy Minister, have demanded more enforcement on scholar transport.
“We convey our condolences to the bereaved families and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” they said in a statement.
Dept of Transport demand more enforcement
As a warning to operators and taxi associations to “get their act together or face the full might of the law”, Creecy has instructed traffic police to step up operations aimed at overloading, speeding, and unroadworthy cars.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) is investigating the crash, with a preliminary report expected on Thursday, 22 January.
Lesufi added that officials conducted an intensive evaluation of scholar transport from 12 to 18 January, issuing 335 notices for non-compliance.
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He said authorities discontinued 93 buses that were not in good order, arrested five people (three for bribery), and impounded 16 cars for non-compliance.
“An incident of this magnitude calls for a review of some of our legislation, our regulations, and the support system in this particular sector,” the premier said.
“The MEC responsible for transport and the Ministry of Education have been assigned to come up with proposals that will assist us to ensure that we eliminate this kind of behaviour within the transport sector.”
Driver charged with culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving
Earlier, South African Police Service (Saps) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said police arrested the driver after he was discharged from the hospital.
“He is expected to appear before Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court within 48 hours, facing charges of 12 counts of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving,” said.
