- A 22-year-old minibus driver, Ayanda Dludlu, is facing 14 counts of culpable murder after a deadly crash in Vanderbijlpark on January 19 that killed 14 learners
- Police say he attempted a reckless overtaking manoeuvre, colliding head-on with a side‑tipper truck despite the truck driver’s efforts to avoid impact
- Dludlu, who also faces charges of attempted murder and operating without proper permits, was arraigned on January 22, with the case adjourned to March 5, 2026, for further investigation
Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
A young driver whose vehicle collided head‑on with a side-tipper truck in Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg, will face several counts of culpable murder.
Source: Facebook
The crash occurred on Monday morning, January 19. The minibus driver attempted to overtake another vehicle and failed to see the oncoming truck.
How many learners were killed in Johannesburg accident?
Twelve learners died on the spot. Two others succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment in various hospitals, as confirmed by Gauteng provincial police spokesperson, Mavela Masondo.
“The 22-year-old scholar transport driver is now facing fourteen (14) counts of culpable murder and reckless and negligent driving after two more learners died in hospital in the early hours of Thursday, 22 January 2026. The suspect is expected to appear before Vanderbijlpark Magistrate Court this morning.”
The driver, identified as Ayanda Dludlu, was arraigned 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 professional driving permit, and one count of operating an unlicensed motor vehicle.
How accident that killed 14 happened
Eyewitnesses said the crash was caused by a minibus driver making a dangerous overtaking attempt.
They noted that although he slowed down to return to his lane, he pressed on and collided with a tipper truck, whose dashboard footage showed the truck driver reducing speed and swerving off the road to avoid impact.
Instead of stopping, the minibus kept moving into the bush in the same direction as the truck.
Police later arrested the driver amid public anger and threats, while the court adjourned the matter to March 5, 2026, for further investigation.
Separately, a Kenyan PSV driver is staring at possible prosecution after an accident that left former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo dead.
Why Tirus Kamau could be charged
Fifty-two-year-old Tirus Kamau was behind the wheel of the Climax Coaches bus that collided with Jirongo’s Mercedes-Benz in the early hours of Saturday, December 13, 2025.
Source: Facebook
Kamau, who was released on bail at the height of investigations, could face charges of causing death by dangerous driving if evidence implicates him.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reported that Jirongo’s Mercedes-Benz struck the Climax bus shortly after 2:19 am, with the force pushing his car about 25 metres away while the bus came to a stop nearly 50 metres from the scene.
Investigators from Nairobi collected vital evidence, including CCTV recordings.
Footage showed Jirongo arriving at the scene at 2:18:40 am, from the Nairobi side, briefly pausing at the station without refuelling, then stopping near the exit at 2:19:10 am and turning back toward Nairobi at 2:19:19 am.
Within seconds, at 2:19:25 am, the cameras captured the bus crashing into his vehicle. Jirongo died instantly from severe injuries, among them broken legs.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
