13-year-old learner killed, 14 injured after scholar minibus collides with truck

Scholar transport

Limpopo – A 13-year-old learner was killed and 14 other people injured in a head-on collision involving a scholar transport minibus and a truck on the R597 near Ngoato Tlou High School in Sepanapudi, Limpopo, on Friday morning.

According to preliminary reports, the crash occurred when the driver of the scholar transport minibus attempted to change lanes to avoid a pedestrian walking on the roadway. The vehicle then collided head-on with an oncoming truck.

The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety confirmed that one lane of the R597 has since been reopened to traffic while emergency personnel continue clearing the scene and investigating the cause of the accident.

The 13-year-old boy was declared dead at the scene. Authorities have withheld his identity out of respect for the family’s privacy.

Fourteen people, including the drivers of both vehicles, sustained serious injuries in the collision. Emergency medical services transported the injured victims to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Traffic officials, police and emergency services remained at the scene throughout the day, managing traffic flow and conducting investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The collision caused significant traffic disruptions on the R597, with the road temporarily closed while rescue teams attended to the injured and removed wreckage from the roadway.

Authorities have urged motorists to exercise caution and remain vigilant on the province’s roads as investigations into the fatal crash continue.

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