"Taxis Must Be Stopped": Teacher’s Warning Sparks Alarm Over Scholar Transport Safety

• Thirteen children died in a tragic minibus accident and one teacher’s heartfelt plea urges parents to prioritise scholar transport safety
• The collision involved a minibus taxi and a side tipper truck, highlighting the dangers of unregulated scholar transport
• The TikTok message resonated across Mzansi, warning that profit-driven drivers put children at risk, with many sharing their fears about the unsafe mode of transport

The deaths of 13 schoolchildren in a tragic school transport accident this morning have left the community of Vanderbijlpark reeling, but one teacher’s plea has captured TikTok’s attention.

@shukr_hartzenberg, Head of Department at Two Oceans Leadership Academy, shared a sobering message on TikTok, urging parents to take scholar transport safety seriously and warning that it cannot be compromised for cutting costs.

The collision occurred around 07:00 on Fred Droste Road, roughly 60km south of Johannesburg, when a private minibus carrying the children collided with a side tipper truck. Preliminary police investigations suggest the minibus driver may have lost control while overtaking other vehicles. Parents rushed to the scene, desperate to see their children, as the scale of the tragedy became clear.

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Parents urged to check scholar transport safety

In the clip, @shukr_hartzenberg described the trauma faced by the community, expressing deep sorrow for the young lives that were lost and the families who were left grieving. He painted a vivid picture of the dangers in the scholar transport system, emphasising that overcrowded vehicles and drivers chasing profit put children at risk.

His message highlighted the urgency of parents carefully checking the vehicles and drivers responsible for getting their children to school safely. The heartfelt warning resonated with parents across Mzansi. Many acknowledged the dangers in the scholar transport industry, sharing their own fears about unregulated drivers and poorly maintained vehicles.

Watch the TikTok video below:

​Mzansi grieves with families

Social media users have flooded the post with grief, anger and condolences as they react to the devastating tragedy.

@ajocobs99 commented:

“Why don't they use the school buses they used before. Taxis drive recklessly and they don't care.”

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@Zee wrote:

“This is so sad, my niece was killed in an accident this past Saturday.💔”

@saamiya🧁 said:

“I can't stop crying. My word! What are those parents going through?😥”

@Carlzzz wrote:

“Life is expensive and every parent unfortunately look for the affordable way out, especially in the townships. People cannot afford to get "reputable" drivers because they are living hand to mouth. This country is in a state of financial crisis.😭 We need to bring back praying and worship back to our schools.”

@Stephen Brummer highlighted:

“Taxis must be stopped. Every day when I listen to the news, people are killed in a taxi accident.”

@ebrahimmoosa259 commented:

“Very sad news; God bless their souls. When it comes to taxis, I have given up.”

@Trevz said:

“My deepest condolences and sympathy to the parents. May God give them the strength and comfort and peace they need. 🙏✝️”

3 more Briefly News scholar transport-related articles

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Vaal taxi crash: MEC says driver was reprimanded for reckless driving a week before fatal crash

• In another article, Briefly News reported that nine children were injured near Sarnia School in Pinetown when a scholar transport lost control and collided with a tree.
• A learner from a primary school in Polokwane lost her life after she was struck by a bus while waiting to be fetched from school.
• The Department of Transport (DoT) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) cracked down on unroadworthy vehicles.

Source: Briefly News