KEY POINTS
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Six children were injured in a bus crash outside Klawer.
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Brake failure caused the bus to roll backward and crash.
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Calls grow for better safety measures in school transport.
The bus crash just outside Klawer in the Western Cape highlights the need to properly vet school transport.
The incident, which took place on Thursday afternoon, resulted in the injury of six children. The bus was carrying 35 children from Nieuwoudt Primary School in Klawer and was travelling along the N7, heading home, when the crash occurred.
The injured children were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Reckless driving leads to crash police confirm
According to IOL, the Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirmed the incident. “We can confirm that Klawer SAPS registered a reckless and negligent driving charge for further investigation after the driver of a school bus lost control of the bus at about 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2025, on the N7 near the Kransbrug/bridge,” Pojie said.
The bus had experienced technical problems and lost power on the uphill climb. It began to move backwards and eventually came to a halt against a fence.
SAPS seized the bus for inspection after six children sustained minor injuries and were taken to a medical facility. The cause of the accident remains unknown, and authorities made no arrests.
Urgent calls for improved school transport safety
Billy Claasen, the Executive Director of the Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation, confirmed the six injuries and stated that two children suffered serious injuries. He attributed the crash to brake failure.
“The driver allegedly lost control of the bus due to brake failure,” he said. The vehicle rolled backward and eventually came to a standstill on top of the roadside barriers,” Claasen said. He called for urgent attention from the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to address the safety of school transport in rural areas.
“Some buses are reportedly not roadworthy, and the WCED must conduct random spot checks on all vehicles, including buses and taxis, that transport learners,” he said. Claasen also called for the affected children to receive care and psychosocial support following the traumatic incident.
