‘Nothing Will Bring Us Peace’: Mom Mourns Two Children Lost in Vanderbijlpark Crash
- A grieving mother who lost two of her children in the Vanderbijlpark scholar transport crash says no arrest or court ruling will ever bring her family peace
- The collision between a minibus taxi and a side tipper truck claimed the lives of 13 learners, left several others seriously injured
- As families mourn and four learners remain in hospital, the tragedy has reignited calls for stricter oversight of scholar transport safety in Gauteng
Source: Getty Images
GAUTENG- A devastated mother who lost two of her children in the Vanderbijlpark scholar transport crash on Monday, 19 January 2026, says no arrest or court ruling will ever heal her family’s pain.
The deadly collision, which happened on Monday, 19 January 2026, involved a minibus taxi and a side tipper truck and claimed the lives of 13 learners, while several others were left seriously injured. Police have since opened a case of culpable homicide, and both drivers are under investigation as forensic and mechanical examinations continue.
The grieving mother speaks
Speaking to Eyewitness News at the cordoned-off crash site, the grieving mother stood inexplicably grief stricken described a home now filled with silence, with school uniforms that will never be worn again.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
She said nothing, not justice, arrests, or court proceedings, could bring peace after two of her children left for school and never returned.
"Both of my children, yoh… Lord God, what have I done to you? What have I done to you? Take me and leave my children - please return them,” she pleaded.
Police confirmed that four learners remain in hospital in a serious condition, while post-mortem examinations are underway. For the affected families, the focus has now shifted to coping with a sudden and unimaginable loss that has forever changed their lives.
A father speaks on the loss of his daughter
Similarly, in the same accident, a father whose 17-year-old daughter died in the Vaal scholar transport crash described the scene as more like a murder site than an accident, recounting the overwhelming devastation he witnessed at the collision between the minibus taxi and a truck near Bophelong and Sebokeng on 17 January 2026. The crash, which has claimed the lives of 14 learners and left others injured, has prompted a culpable homicide investigation into the minibus driver’s actions. He spoke fondly of his daughter’s love for church and music, saying her loss has left a profound void in the family’s life. According to Eyewitness News, emergency responses and ongoing investigations continue as the community struggles with the aftermath of the tragedy.
Source: Getty Images
Other articles on the Vaal crash
Previously, Briefly News reported that a cyclist who witnessed the scholar transport crash near the Vaal described approaching the scene and being overcome with emotion as he saw the aftermath of the collision that killed 14 learners. According to the account, the minibus taxi carrying schoolchildren had attempted to overtake other vehicles before it collided with a truck, leaving bodies on the road and survivors in shock. He said all he could do at the site was cry while others rushed to help the injured and mourn the loss. The incident has left the community reeling as investigations into the cause and circumstances of the crash continue.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane revealed that the minibus taxi driver in the fatal Vaal scholar- transport crash that killed 13 learners had been reprimanded for reckless driving, raising questions about oversight and enforcement of learner transport safety. The collision between the taxi and a truck occurred on 17 January 2026 on the Golden Highway between Bophelong and Sebokeng, with the driver surviving and reportedly hospitalised. Chiloane used the incident to call for increased vigilance and stricter monitoring of private scholar transport vehicles to prevent similar tragedies.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
