A tragic road accident in South Africa resulted in the death of 12 primary school children on Wednesday. The accident occurred when a minibus transporting the children to school overturned and caught fire after being rear-ended by another vehicle on the N14 motorway near Merafong, approximately 70 kilometers west of Johannesburg. The driver of the minibus also died in the accident.
The South African authorities reported that the victims were burned beyond recognition. In addition to the fatalities, seven other children sustained injuries in the accident, which took place in the Gauteng province. Road officials have not yet provided information on the ages of the children involved.
The police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident. Gauteng Province Minister of Education, Matome Chiloane, expressed the community’s grief, stating, “The loss of our children is a devastating blow to our community.”