Taxi Driver Survives Horrific Vaal Crash As Police Process Case, Death Toll Revised to 12

• The taxi driver who was involved in the fatal crash near Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal area has been discharged from the hospital
• The police are currently investigating a case of culpable homicide following the crash, which left 12 learners dead
• Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has begun conducting citywide inspections on scholar transport vehicles

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG - The taxi driver involved in the horrific crash near Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal area survived the fatal accident.

The driver was admitted to the hospital following the crash, which occurred on the Golden Highway between Bophelong and Sebokeng on 17 January 2026. He has since been discharged from the hospital and is being processed by the police.

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Police are investigating a case of culpable homicide after the minibus taxi collided with a side tipper truck. Eyewitnesses claimed that the driver attempted to overtake several vehicles at once before colliding with the truck. Gauteng Education Member of the Executive Committee (MEC), Matome Chiloane, also confirmed that the driver was reprimanded for reckless driving before.

Death toll revised to 12

Speaking to the media on 20 January 2026, Gauteng Education Spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that the driver was discharged. He also confirmed that the death toll had been revised to 12.

Reports surfacing yesterday following the tragedy had the official death toll at 14. Mabona explained that it was difficult to provide an accurate figure at the time due to the nature of the horrific scene and the number of people present.

He appealed to citizens to respect active accident scenes in future, as it made it difficult for officials to inspect the scene and assist those in need when citizens were also crowding the scene.

Three learners remain in the hospital

Mabona also confirmed that three learners remain in hospital following the crash. Two of the learners are in a public hospital, while the third was airlifted to a private medical centre. A fourth learner was discharged last night, Mabona confirmed.

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Vaal crash: Father describes pain of losing daughter, says accident site resembled a murder scene

Inspections conducted on scholar transport vehicles

As the accident continues to make headlines, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has begun conducting citywide inspections on scholar transport vehicles. The operation is aimed at safeguarding learners and enforcing full compliance.

JMPD officers are inspecting the roadworthiness of vehicles, the licensing, overloading and the drivers' professional driving permits (PrDP). A similar operation was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal before the start of the new school year, as more focus has been placed on scholar transport vehicles following recent accidents.

Father describes the pain of losing his daughter

Briefly News reported that the father of one of the learners who passed away in the Vaal crash spoke about his daughter's love of church.

The father also described what he saw at the accident scene after realising it was the taxi his daughter travelled in.

Several parents were left heartbroken after they arrived at the scene to find their children's bodies scattered amongst the wreckage.

Source: Briefly News