Death toll in South Africa school transport crash rises to 14: Report

By Mevlut Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - The death toll from a Monday collision between a school transport vehicle and a truck in South Africa rose to 14, public broadcaster SABC reported.

The “tragic” crash occurred at around 7 am local time (GMT0500) when the school minibus collided with a truck in Vanderbijlpark in the Gauteng province, according to reports cited by the Gauteng Department of Education.

Eleven children were pronounced dead at the scene, the department said earlier.

Four people were hospitalized following the crash, including critically injured learners and the minibus driver, while the condition of the truck driver was not immediately known.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement that his thoughts were with the families, teachers, classmates, and friends of the victims.

“Our children are the nation’s most precious assets and we must do all we can -- from observing the rules of the road to the quality of service providers appointed to transport scholars -- to protect learners,” he said.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha extended his condolences to South Africa following the crash.

“Ukraine stands in solidarity with South Africa during this time of grief,” he said on the US social media company X.