The Vaal community came out in large numbers on Friday, January 23, to honour the lives of 14 learners killed in a devastating scholar transport crash.
Families, neighbours, and schoolchildren gathered at the Soul Tsotetsi Sports Centre in Zone 14, Sebokeng, to comfort one another and demand answers after one of the deadliest school-run tragedies in recent years.
The children lost their lives when the scholar transport vehicle they were travelling in collided head-on with a tipper truck during the morning school commute. On Monday, January 19, at around 7am, 11 children were pronounced dead at the scene, while three more succumbed to their injuries in hospital, the last two passing in the early hours of Thursday.
The vehicle was mangled beyond recognition, and emergency services rushed to the scene. The scale of the tragedy raised growing concerns about scholar transport safety and the conditions under which children are ferried to school each day.
At the memorial service, the marquee was packed with grief-stricken families, neighbours, and schoolchildren. Heart-wrenching cries and anguished screams filled the air as emergency medical staff assisted those overcome by shock, pushing wheelchairs and helping children and adults who had fainted, unable to bear the pain of losing 14 young lives.
As families took turns on stage to express their grief and gratitude, emotions ran high. Some parents struggled to understand why the tragedy had struck, while others consoled each other in shared pain.
The Sefatsa family, who lost two children, 19-year-old Pheello and 6-year-old Lesego, spoke candidly about their heartbreak, drawing on faith for strength.
“Only God knows why He did what He did to you, why He took all of you,” the family said.
The family said it was a moment of deep grief for all 14 families, the schools, and the wider community, but they held onto the belief that God remained with them and that His promises endure, even in the midst of sorrow.
“Yes, it hurts deeply, but God is still here by our side,” they added, urging everyone affected to hold onto hope.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane spoke with visible grief, describing himself as “completely shattered” by the loss of 14 learners.
He called the moment one so devastating that no words could capture the depth of the pain, acknowledging the heartbreak felt by parents, siblings, and the wider community.
“When Premier Lesufi and I arrived at the scene, what we witnessed will haunt us forever. The wreckage. The silence. The small school shoes scattered along the road. Lunch boxes that would never be opened. Two grown men, representatives of the government, weeping because no policy, no law, no speech can make sense of such devastation,” Chiloane said.
He spoke directly to the families: “I see you, mothers whose arms are now empty, fathers trying to be strong while breaking inside, grandparents who have outlived their grandchildren, siblings who have lost best friends. I bow before your grief.” He offered the province’s deepest condolences and pledged that the government would walk with them through this painful journey.
Chiloane then read the names of the 14 children, highlighting their individuality and dreams.
“14 empty chairs. 14 school uniforms hanging in cupboards, never to be worn. 14 futures stolen in an instant,” he said. Drawing on scripture, he reminded families that faith could provide comfort, citing Psalm 34:18 and Matthew 5:4.
He also stressed accountability, stating that the 22-year-old driver of the scholar transport vehicle now faces 14 counts of murder, as well as charges of reckless and negligent driving.
“14 children are no more, and 14 classrooms sit empty,” he said, adding that justice must be served and that the families’ loss demanded consequences.
The Star
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