A devastating pupil-transport crash in Vanderbijlpark that claimed the lives of 14 schoolchildren has taken an unsettling turn, after it emerged that all four children of the minibus taxi owner survived the tragedy that unfolded on Monday morning.
The collision, which occurred when a pupil-transport minibus collided head-on with an oncoming truck, has left families shattered and the country grappling with renewed questions around road safety and the regulation of scholar transport. In a cruel twist of fate, the only two occupants of the minibus who survived were the owner’s children — the driver and one passenger — while his two younger daughters narrowly escaped death by not boarding the vehicle that day.
The minibus was driven by 22-year-old Ayanda Dludla, the son of owner Jimmy Vinger. Dludla’s school-going sister was also among the passengers and survived the crash. Vinger’s two younger daughters, who normally travel in the taxi, were absent — one due to a school suspension and the other having decided to stay home.
Dludla has since been charged with 14 counts of murder, attempted murder, driving without a valid licence and operating an unlicensed vehicle. He has not applied for bail. Dashcam footage of the crash shows the minibus overtaking multiple vehicles before colliding with a truck travelling in the opposite direction.
Speaking emotionally, Vinger said his son phoned him moments after the crash in a state of shock. He then informed parents of the children involved via a WhatsApp voice note. Vinger, who is a pastor and deputy chair of Gauteng Education Transport Services, said employing his son as a driver was part of an effort to rebuild their strained relationship.
“He is a good boy,” Vinger said, dismissing public claims about his son’s character. He described seeing Dludla at the crash scene as heartbreaking, saying his son was inconsolable and repeatedly apologised for destroying the future his father hoped to build for him.
Vinger admitted he is consumed by grief and guilt, saying he has struggled to face the public since the tragedy. Despite this, he said members of his community have continued to support and comfort him during the ordeal.
Meanwhile, families of the victims are left with unbearable loss. Among them is Mamokete Sefatsa, who lost both her 18-year-old son, Phehello Motaung, and her seven-year-old grandson, Lesego Sefatsa. The two were laid to rest in Sebokeng over the weekend.
Lesego’s mother, Felani, described the trauma of arriving at the crash scene and struggling to recognise her son among the wreckage. “When I finally found him, he didn’t look like my little boy,” she said through tears.
Accident reconstruction expert Craig Proctor-Parker stated that while the minibus driver was unequivocally responsible, both vehicles had sufficient time to avoid the collision. He suggested panic may have played a critical role in the driver’s failure to return to his lane despite having an escape route.
As investigations continue, grieving parents have expressed little faith in government crackdowns on the pupil-transport industry, arguing that action has come far too late. For them, justice remains hollow — nothing can undo the loss of young lives cut short on an ordinary school morning.