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Twelve South African students and their minibus driver died in a road accident on Wednesday morning, Gauteng provincial authorities announced.
“The minibus carrying pupils from Kokosi-Wedela Primary School, in the local municipality of Merafong, was rear-ended by a pickup truck, causing it to overturn and burst into flames, also injuring seven pupils,” officials said.
“Police are investigating the circumstances of this terrible accident,” the statement said.
The accident occurred at around 6.45 a.m. local time (05.45 a.m. GMT), the rush hour for schoolchildren and workers.
The accident claimed the lives of 11 pupils from Rockland Primary School and one pupil from Laerskool Blyvooruitsig, as well as their driver.
The Department of Education said it had sent its psychosocial support team to the school to provide immediate assistance and work closely with the school and affected families.
“The loss of our children is a huge blow to our community, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and injured students,” said Gauteng Education Minister Matome Chiloane.
Minibus cabs are the main mode of transport in South Africa. Every day, they transport millions of people to their place of work, their school, their province, their city and even across borders.
