'Let this be a lesson': Bereaved families speak as accused driver drops bail bid; prayers offered

“We can’t complain. I believe everything happens for a reason. But let this be a lesson for each and every taxi owner and any driver that is driving to be very cautious and do some introspection and monitor cars.”

Those were the words of Themba Radebe, family spokesperson for his late niece Busisiwe Radebe, 16, who died in the crash.

He was speaking outside the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court after private scholar transport driver Ayanda Dludla abandoned his bail application in the accident that claimed 14 learners in the Vaal.

Dludla appeared before the court on January 22, where the case was postponed to 5 March 2026. The deadly Vaal crash has once again placed the spotlight on road safety failures, vehicle roadworthiness, and alleged negligence within the taxi industry.

Grieving families said that the tragedy should serve as a turning point, warning that unless urgent action is taken, more lives will be lost.

Radebe said the incident must be a lesson not only for drivers but also for vehicle owners who allow unroadworthy taxis to operate.

Radebe said responsibility for the crash goes beyond the driver, arguing that vehicle owners must also be held accountable.

“This message must go to the taxi industry… because we lost not only time, but we lost 14 lives,” he said.

He criticised the practice of operating vehicles with expired discs, saying owners who fail to ensure roadworthiness are complicit in tragedies of this nature.

“If you own a car and you know that the disc is liable, why do you give a car out? We can’t only blame the driver. The owner must take accountability as well,” Radebe said.

The emotional toll of the court proceedings has been devastating for families, he added, particularly after viewing footage related to the crash.

“You can imagine how other families feel about this… talking will never bring each and every soul back,” he said.

Meanwhile, COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions), together with its affiliated organisations and community groups, held a candlelight ceremony at the accident scene in Vanderbijlpark, Vaal, to honour the learners who lost their lives in the tragic scholar transport crash.

Those gathered echoed a common message of community vigilance, chanting “when you see something, say something.”

Union members in Sedibeng said the tragedy had pushed them to act, revealing that union members have since started stopping scholar transport vehicles found to be overloaded or unroadworthy. They also raised serious concerns about speeding, reckless driving and loud music while transporting schoolchildren, warning that such behaviour endangers young lives.

The union further appealed to teachers and school management to play an active role in learner safety by monitoring scholar transport during drop-off and pick-up times, checking for overloading, and reporting unsafe vehicles to traffic officers.

COSATU expressed condolences to the affected families and called for accountability, stricter law enforcement, and improved oversight of scholar transport operators to prevent similar tragedies.

The memorials across the Vaal continued as the ANC and the MK Party also held their own separate candlelight ceremonies in remembrance of the learners and in solidarity with the grieving families.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng Department of Education said that the department has not yet made a final decision on whether a planned mass memorial service for the learners will go ahead.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said engagements with affected families are still ongoing, but most have indicated that they plan to bury their loved ones on Saturday.

“The fewer the number of families participating, the more it defeats the purpose of a mass service. As a result, we may have to cancel it, but a final decision has not yet been taken,” Mabona said.

He said the department is continuing discussions with families to encourage a collective memorial.

“Our message to families is that we want to celebrate our children. They were together, and it may be wise for them to be celebrated together,” Mabona said.

A final decision on the memorial is expected to be announced in due course.

In a separate but related development, more than 60 scholar transport vehicles have been impounded during an operation led by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg. Two drivers were arrested for overloading during the exercise.

In response to the crackdown, scholar transport drivers are calling on the government to fast-track the process for obtaining specialized permits.

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, joined Minister Creecy and the National Traffic Police on the ground to address parents and drivers regarding safety standards.

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport shared the message on their X account:

"We value the lives of our children. This morning, we inspected scholar transport vehicles for compliance with regulations, including verification of registration, assessment of overloading, enforcement of traffic rules, and evaluation of vehicle roadworthiness.

''Unroadworthy vehicles were impounded immediately, and unregistered drivers were arrested. We urge parents and community members to report unsafe scholar transport."

The Star

masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za