Nine Children Injured in Pinetown School Transport Accident

• Nine children were injured near Sarnia School in Pinetown when a scholar transport lost control and collided with a tree
• Emergency services treated the children on site before transporting them to various hospitals for further care
• Authorities are investigating the incident, and parents have been warned of traffic congestion in the area

Nine children were injured on Monday afternoon, 19 January 2026, near Sarnia School in Pinetown, sparking an urgent emergency response.

What happened?

ALS spokesperson Garrith Jamieson confirmed that a single scholar transport seemingly lost control and collided with a tree. The children were stabilised on site before being transported to various hospitals for further medical care.

Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedics arrived at the scene around 14:45 and began treating the pupils, who sustained minor to moderate injuries.

“The scene is a little chaotic as parents make their way to the area, and traffic is congested due to the presence of ambulances,” Jamieson said.

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Motorists have been advised to avoid Sarnia Road if possible.

The exact circumstances of the incident remain under investigation by SAPS, and authorities have not released further details. An official update is expected once all injured children have been transported and their conditions formally assessed.

Vaal accident leaves 11 children dead.

This incident follows a tragic collision that occurred on Monday morning near Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal when a minibus taxi carrying schoolchildren collided with a side‑tipper truck as the learners were on their way to school. At least 11 pupils were killed at the scene, and several others sustained serious injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Emergency services, including police and forensic teams, responded to the crash and the area was cordoned off while investigators began examining the cause of the collision. Authorities have opened a culpable homicide investigation, and provincial officials, including education leadership, expressed deep condolences to the families and communities affected by the devastating incident.

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More Briefly News articles on the Vaal accident

Previously, Briefly News reported that an eyewitness described seeing a scholar transport vehicle overtaking multiple cars moments before it collided with an oncoming truck on the Golden Highway near Vanderbijlpark, in a crash that claimed the lives of at least 11 pupils. The witness told Newzroom Afrika that despite attempts by a nearby driver to slow down and give the scholar transport space, the taxi continued toward the truck, leaving little time to avoid impact. Emergency services arrived quickly, but the collision proved fatal for many of the children being transported to school, and the scene was marked by shock and grief from onlookers.

In a related report, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane revealed that the driver involved in the recent fatal Vaal scholar transport crash had been reprimanded for reckless driving just a week before the accident. The crash, which claimed the lives of several learners, has raised serious questions about the enforcement and monitoring of learner transport providers. Officials are now under pressure to review how transport operators are regulated to prevent further tragedies. Authorities continue to investigate the incident as families and communities mourn the loss of the young victims.

Source: Briefly News