South Africa’s scholar transport system was under intense scrutiny in 2025 after a string of accidents and service disruptions, prompting the education and transport departments to step up inspections and investigations.
One of the most serious incidents occurred on the morning of 28 July when a scholar transport vehicle overturned along West Park Road in Johannesburg.
The Gauteng department of Education said the vehicle, which was carrying students from several Johannesburg schools, overturned near West Park Cemetery at about 7am and left roughly 20 students injured; most were treated and discharged, while one remained hospitalised and was scheduled for surgery.
“We are grateful that there were no fatalities, and we extend our gratitude to emergency personnel, respective school management teams and our officials who responded swiftly,” Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said.
Tragic death prompts
In August, the Gauteng education department confirmed the death of a Grade R learner who sustained injuries after an incident involving a scholar-transport bus on 15 August in the Carletonville area.
The department described the event as a “freak” accident, said the learner was rushed to hospital and later died, and announced that law-enforcement agencies were investigating.
The MEC expressed condolences and said psycho-social support would be provided to the school community.
ALSO READ: Grade R learner dies in tragic scholar bus accident
Five pupils dead in Imbali tragedy
The most devastating incident occurred in Pietermaritzburg’s Imbali Township, where a minibus taxi carrying schoolchildren lost control on T22 Road after experiencing suspected brake failure.
The taxi veered off the roadway, smashed into a tree and ploughed into a preschool.
Five pupils died following the crash, including 15-year-old Grade 9 student Nomalanga Ndawonde, whose passing was confirmed in hospital days later.
Authorities described the collision as “horrific”, with KZN Transport teams deployed to investigate mechanical faults and operator compliance.
“We will not allow unroadworthy vehicles to continue ferrying our pupils,” said Siboniso Duma, MEC for transport.
ALSO READ: Fifth pupil dies from KZN horrific scholar transport accident
20 pupils injured after taxi plunged off bridge
A few days earlier, a scholar-transport taxi veered off KwaKhetha Bridge on the P127 and plunged into an embankment, injuring at least 20 schoolchildren.
MEC Duma confirmed, the driver fled the scene immediately and was later arrested.
“The driver has no driver’s licence. He violated the National Land Transport Act by transporting learners without a Professional Driving Permit (PrDP). The driver is in possession of a learner’s licence only.
Truck rear-ends school taxi
In another crash reported by The Citizen, ten schoolchildren were injured when a truck rear-ended a scholar-transport taxi on the M13 near Hillcrest.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said the children sustained minor to moderate injuries and were taken to several Durban hospitals for treatment.
Jamieson added that the events leading up to the crash are unknown.
ALSO READ: Department admits to failing to vet 3 400 school transport drivers
What parents should check
Provincial transport reaffirmed that drivers must hold valid permits, vehicles must be roadworthy, and law enforcement would be deployed to monitor routes.
MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Violet Mathye, said: “We will regularly deploy traffic officers and police officers to monitor routes and ensure compliance by scholar transport operators.”
Mathye advised parents to check operator permits, driver IDs and vehicle service records, and report unsafe vehicles to provincial education or transport hotlines.
The pattern of incidents and service disruptions this year has intensified calls for stricter vetting, tighter vehicle inspections and clearer accountability in scholar transport contracting.
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