Joburg School Trip Turns Tragic: Drunk Driver Injures 12 Learners

A Johannesburg scholar transport driver is facing serious criminal charges after a minibus carrying schoolchildren crashed in Montgomery Park, injuring 12 learners in an incident that authorities have linked to drunk driving and reckless behaviour.

The crash, which occurred on Monday morning along Westpark Drive, has sparked renewed concerns over the safety of children using private transport services. According to Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla, the white Toyota Quantum was carrying learners when it overturned while allegedly trying to overtake another vehicle.

“The driver lost control while attempting to pass another vehicle. The result was a single-vehicle collision that left 12 learners injured,” Fihla confirmed. Emergency services rushed the children to various medical facilities. Their current conditions have not been publicly disclosed, but no fatalities have been reported.

What investigators uncovered at the scene raised further alarm. The driver, whose identity has not yet been made public, was found to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. He was immediately taken into custody and is being held at Sophiatown Police Station. He faces charges of reckless and negligent driving, as well as driving under the influence.

As authorities probed the incident further, additional disturbing details surfaced. Preliminary reports suggest a chaotic sequence of events leading to the crash. While the minibus was reportedly heading southbound on the M1 near the Booysens Road off-ramp, a passenger allegedly became involved in a heated altercation with the driver, going so far as to grab the steering wheel during the argument.

This confrontation caused the vehicle to veer out of control, crashing through road barriers, crossing the central median, and colliding with other vehicles on the M1 North. Though the full extent of the damage to the other vehicles remains under investigation, officials confirmed multiple injuries from the secondary collisions.

The M1 North carriageway at Booysens Road was shut down for several hours while emergency responders and police secured the scene. The road closure triggered widespread traffic delays across the area, with JMPD urging motorists to divert via Crownwood Road or Xavier Street.

As parents demand accountability and safety reforms, officials say a formal inquiry is underway. The crash raises pressing questions about the regulation and oversight of private scholar transport operators in the city—many of whom remain unvetted and under-policed despite repeated incidents.

The JMPD has reiterated its call for stricter enforcement measures and warned that incidents like this are a stark reminder of what’s at stake when safety protocols are ignored.

“This is not just a case of traffic negligence; it’s a serious breach of public trust and child safety,” said one officer involved in the investigation. “We cannot afford to treat these cases as isolated accidents anymore.”