Scholar Transport Driver Faces 12 Culpable Homicide Charges After Vanderbijlpark Crash Kills Learners

Twelve counts of culpable homicide are among the charges the State has brought against a scholar transport driver who was behind the wheel of a minibus carrying schoolchildren when it collided head-on with a truck.

The driver is due to make his first appearance at the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court on Thursday in connection with the crash that resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, drawing national attention.

The 22-year-old scholar transport driver stands accused with causing the crash that claimed the lives of 12 learners in Vanderbijlpark.

According to media reports, apart from the culpable homicide charges, reckless and negligent driving has been included.

Three learners are believed to be still receiving medical treatment following the crash. Authorities have confirmed that the injured pupils remain in hospital as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collision continue.

On Tuesday, IOL reported that Gauteng police said the scholar transport driver was arrested after being discharged from hospital, where he had been receiving treatment following the crash. Police visited hospitals and the mortuary to verify the number of fatalities and injuries.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo previously said the truck driver involved in the crash was unharmed, while the truck’s passenger sustained injuries and is receiving treatment in hospital.

Investigations are ongoing as police continue to gather witness statements and assess the events leading up to the collision. The cause of the crash has not yet been officially confirmed.

The tragedy has once again raised serious concerns about scholar transport safety and road conditions, with renewed calls for stricter enforcement of traffic laws and improved oversight of learner transport services.

More details are expected to emerge when the accused appears in court.

DAILY NEWS