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The caskets and pictures of two of three learners who were laid to rest in the Vaal on 25 January 2026 after losing their lives in a scholar transport car crash.
Families of the learners, who died in the Vanderbijlpark crash, have delivered a heartfelt tribute at a joint funeral service held at Sebokeng in the Vaal. 14 school pupils perished when their scholar transport minibus collided with a truck along the Goldern Highway in Vanderbijlpark on Monday.
Amongst the mourners, was Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, and Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, who urged parents to cautiously choose transport services that ferry their children to school.
It was an emotional send off for six-year-old Ofentse Vinger, Thato Moetji and Bokamoso Mokhobo. Families described them as children, who brought them immense joy and and unforgettable memories.
The service was held at the Saul Tsotetsi sports ground in Sebokeng.
Chikunga says parents have the right to ensure the safety of their children by vetting suspicious scholar transport services.
“A child has the right to safety, security, education and to reach home alive. To parents and guardians today we issue a clarion call. Vet every driver and vehicle. Ask for a license and verify it. If it is a promise, it is not good enough. Your vigilance is not a suspicion, it is love in action.”
Chikunga sent a strong message to operators of scholar transport services, warning them not to prioritize profit over the lives of the learners they transport.
“To operators and owners, you do not carry loads. You carry futures. If your model requires cutting corners, then it’s not good for this country. Upgrade or step aside. We will continue to support good drivers. And we will continue to remove bad ones from our roads,” adds Chikunga.
Pupils killed in Vanderbijlpark accident laid to rest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbxIwJV9kSc
The Gauteng Premier emphasized that the road to school should not be turned into the road to the graveyard for learners using scholar transport services.
“We can’t deputy minister of Transport have the situation where the road to school must lead our children to graveyards. We can’t have situation where instead of issuing our children with graduation certificates. We give them death certificates. This must come to an end. For us to have this to come to an end it means all of us must work together. And must be focused on the task at hand.”
The remaining learner will be laid to rest in Limpopo in the coming weekend
