MEDIA STATEMENT
12 March 2025
The thoughts of the Union are with the families and learners of children who were injured in an accident between a bus and truck in Ekurhuleni
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union is deeply saddened by the accident involving a scholar bus and truck in Ekurhuleni this morning which left 19 learners injured in Ekurhuleni.
The bus was carrying more than 70 learners to Sekgutlong Primary School in Katlehong when it crashed into the back of a truck. While we are grateful that no lives were lost, this incident has left learners traumatised, and the disruption to their education today was unavoidable. Even those who were not physically injured struggled to cope had to be sent home.
This is the second accident involving learners in Ekurhuleni this week. On Monday, a separate incident on the N12 in Daveyton claimed the lives of four learners. These heartbreaking events highlight the urgent need for improved safety measures in scholar transport. Furthermore, on Tuesday, another devastating accident on the R21 near OR Tambo International Airport claimed the lives of 12 people and left 45 others injured
As a union that cares about the safety and well-being of all in education, SADTU calls on the Department of Basic Education in Gauteng to provide immediate psycho-social services to all affected learners to help them process the trauma and return to learning in a safe and supportive environment. We also urge authorities to ensure that scholar transport meets the highest safety standards. Law enforcement officers, more specifically, traffic police must be thorough when inspecting vehicles.
SADTU stands in solidarity with the affected families, learners and educators in this difficult time. learners so they can come to terms with the incident.
ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat