- A 22-year-old minibus driver, Ayanda Dludlu, is facing 14 counts of manslaughter after a fatal accident in Vanderbijlpark on January 19 that killed 14 students.
- Police say he recklessly tried to pass other vehicles on the road before colliding head-on with a sand truck in an avoidable crash.
- Dludlu, who also faces charges of attempted murder and driving without a valid license, was charged on January 22, with the case adjourned to March 5, 2026, for further investigation.
The driver whose car collided head-on with an earthmoving truck in Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg, will face several charges of negligent homicide.
Source: Facebook
The accident happened on the morning of Monday, January 19. The minibus driver tried to pass another car and failed to see the truck that was coming.
How Many Students Were Killed in the Johannesburg Accident?
Twelve students died instantly. Two others died of injuries while receiving treatment at various hospitals, as confirmed by Gauteng provincial police spokesperson, Mavela Masondo.
“A 22-year-old school bus driver is now facing fourteen (14) charges of negligent homicide and reckless driving after two other students died in hospital early Thursday morning, 22 January 2026. The suspect was brought before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court this morning.”
The driver, identified as Ayanda Dludlu, was charged at the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, January 22.
Among the charges he faces are attempted murder, one count of driving without a valid license, and one count of driving without a license.
How the accident that killed 14 people happened
Witnesses said the accident was caused by the minibus driver making a dangerous attempt to overtake other vehicles.
They explained that although he slowed down to return to his lane, he continued to collide with a dirt truck, whose dashboard video showed the truck driver slowing down and swerving off the road to avoid the collision.
Instead of stopping, the minibus continued moving through the bush in the same direction as the truck.
Police later arrested the driver amid public anger and threats, while the court adjourned the case to March 5, 2026, for further investigation.
Kenyan PSV Driver May Be Charged
Elsewhere, the driver three in Kenya he is facing the possibility of being charged after the accident that left the former Member of Parliament for Lugari Cyrus Jirongo dead.
52-year-old Tirus Kamau was driving a Climax Coaches bus that collided with a Jirongo Mercedes-Benz in the early hours of Saturday, December 13, 2025.
Source: Facebook
Kamau, who was released on bail during the investigation, could face charges of causing death by dangerous driving if evidence implicates him.
The Criminal Investigation Department (DCI) reported that Jirongo’s Mercedes-Benz was hit by a Climax bus shortly after 8pm, with the force pushing the vehicle 25 meters away while the bus stopped about 50 meters from the scene.
Investigators from Nairobi collected important evidence, including CCTV footage.
The video showed Jirongo arriving at the scene at 2:18:40 a.m., from the Nairobi side, stopping for a while at the station without refueling, then stopping near the exit door at 2:19:10 p.m. and returning to Nairobi at 2:19:19 p.m.
Within seconds, at 2:19:25, the cameras captured the bus hitting his car. Jirongo died on the spot from severe injuries, including broken legs.
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