Johannesburg: A scholar transport accident has left approximately 20 learners injured, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said. Confirming Monday’s incident, the department stated that the learners are from various Johannesburg schools.
According to South African Government News Agency, the incident occurred at approximately 7 am along West Park Road, near the West Park Cemetery in Johannesburg. Preliminary reports suggest that the vehicle was allegedly traveling at high speed when the driver appeared to lose control, leading to the vehicle overturning along the bend near West Park Cemetery.
The GDE noted that the exact cause of the accident is still under investigation. Authorities arrived at the scene shortly after the incident to assist the learners on board and begin assessing the circumstances. The overturned vehicle was reportedly transporting learners from Greenside High School, Parktown Girls’ High School, and Roosevelt High School. There were reportedly 13 learners from Greenside High School, ranging from Grade 8 to Grade 11; four learners from Roosevelt High School in Grades 8, 9, and 12; while Parktown Girls’ High School had three learners in Grades 8, 10, and 11.
Following the crash, learners were transported to various healthcare facilities, where they were assessed for injuries and received medical treatment. Thankfully, all learners were treated and discharged into the care of their families. Most learners have been advised to refrain from attending school by medical practitioners for the remainder of this week. However, one learner from Greenside High School remains hospitalized and is scheduled to undergo surgery.
The department has arranged psychosocial support for all learners and their families to assist with recovery and trauma management. Departmental officials were also dispatched to each school and hospital to verify the condition of all affected learners and interact with their families.
Education MEC Matome Chiloane expressed gratitude for the absence of fatalities and thanked the emergency personnel, school management teams, and officials for their swift response. The department is engaging with relevant authorities to determine the cause of the accident and ensure accountability. Chiloane urged all scholar transport drivers to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of learners at all times and wished all learners a speedy recovery.