The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has confirmed plans to deploy trauma counsellors and psycho-social support teams to all seven schools affected by the Vaal scholar transport tragedy, which claimed the lives of 12 learners on Monday.
The learners were killed when a private scholar transport vehicle collided with a truck in Vanderbijlpark — one of the deadliest learner transport accidents in recent memory.
The move follows the devastating crash unpacked in NOWinSA’s earlier report, Recklessness and Heartbreak: Inside the Vaal Scholar Transport Tragedy, which exposed deep systemic gaps in transport regulation and road safety enforcement.
Schools in Mourning
According to the Gauteng Department of Education, the deceased learners attended:
- Vaal High School
- Vaal Primary School
- Suncrest High School
- El-Shaddai Christian School
- Hoërskool Vanderbijlpark
- Oliver Lodge Primary School
- Noordhoek Primary School
MEC Matome Chiloane said the department’s psycho-social unit will be dispatched to the affected schools to assist grieving learners, educators, and families.
“The teams will offer trauma debriefing and individual counselling sessions to everyone affected by this tragedy,” the Department said.
Minister Gwarube Expresses Condolences
Minister of Education Siviwe Gwarube expressed heartfelt condolences to the families and school communities.
“Our hearts are with the families, classmates, and educators mourning this profound loss. We are committed to providing every form of support available to help them heal,” said Gwarube.
The DBE, working closely with the Gauteng Department of Education, will continue to coordinate the deployment of crisis support and counselling services across the affected schools.
‘Respect the Families’: Warning Against False Content Online
As the community mourns, officials have condemned the circulation of AI-generated images and misinformation about the crash on social media.
Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona urged the public to show restraint and respect grieving families.
“We have families that are grieving… you are giving a different picture altogether, circulating graphics that are not accurate,” Mabona said.
He added that the names and images of the deceased would only be released with family consent.
“We are hopeful that after interacting with the families with the MEC, they will grant us permission to publicise the names, because we need to talk about people identified. They have names, and they must be celebrated,” he said.
Investigations Continue
Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash are ongoing. Both drivers — the 22-year-old scholar transport operator and the truck driver — have been arrested. Authorities confirmed that the truck driver’s Public Driver’s Permit (PrDP) had expired in November 2025.
The tragedy occurred just as the 2026 school calendar year commenced, heightening concerns over the safety of learner transport systems across South Africa.
National Response: Ramaphosa Calls for Urgent Action
President Cyril Ramaphosa opened his keynote address at the 2026 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla by calling on delegates to observe a moment of silence in honour of the 12 pupils who lost their lives in the Vanderbijlpark scholar transport crash.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg, the President said the tragedy had “deeply affected the nation” and once again brought into sharp focus the urgent need to make scholar transport safer and more reliable.
“We cannot let this tragedy pass. We need to act now and we need to act together to ensure that scholar transport is safe and reliable,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President’s remarks came as another shocking incident unfolded in Limpopo, where a scholar transport driver allegedly overloaded a seven-seater vehicle with 22 pupils before abandoning it and fleeing upon seeing traffic officers.
“We urge parents, drivers and operators to take responsibility for the safety of our children and passengers,” Ramaphosa added.
A Community in Collective Mourning
Community leaders and educators in Vanderbijlpark have begun planning memorial services to honour the victims.
Officials have called for privacy and compassion for the bereaved families, describing the tragedy as “a wound that will take long to heal.”
The Department says the loss must serve as a national wake-up call on road safety and accountability within scholar transport systems.
(NOWinSA — Stories Shaping South Africa Today)
