By Palesa Matlala
- Ayanda Dludla, 22, appeared in court after a scholar transport crash in Vanderbijlpark that killed 14 learners on 19 January 2026.
- Dludla abandoned his bail application as the case was postponed to 5 March 2026 for further investigation.
Ayanda Dludla, 22, appeared briefly in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court following a scholar transport crash that killed fourteen learners.
The crash happened on Monday, 19 January 2026.
Dludla stood in the dock wearing a white t-shirt and grey pants. He kept his head down during proceedings.
Members of his family sat in the front row of the public gallery.
The families of the learners who died sat at the back of the courtroom.
There was a heavy police presence inside and outside the court building.
Dludla abandoned his bail application during the appearance.
Outside court, community members, political parties and scholar transport drivers gathered in support of the affected families.
The accused faces multiple charges. These include 14 counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, driving without an authorised driving permit, operating an unlicensed vehicle and negligence.
Nkosinathi Ndwandwe, regional chairperson of the South African National Civic Organisation and member of the mayoral committee for transport in Sedibeng municipality, called for tougher punishment.
He said drivers who deliberately break road rules should face harsher sentences.
Samuel Gwenane, a government liaison officer for the Sedibeng Scholar Transport Association, said the industry needs stricter control.
He said many former taxi drivers are moving into scholar transport without proper registration.
Gwenane said this lack of regulation leads to rules being ignored.
Dash camera footage shown to police allegedly shows the accused driving a white Toyota Quantum. The footage shows the vehicle attempting to overtake three cars on a two lane road.
A truck travelling in the opposite direction swerved onto the gravel to avoid a collision. The scholar transport vehicle also swerved in the same direction, leading to the crash.
The case was postponed to 5 March 2026 for further investigation.
Pictured above: Ayanda Dludla.
Image source: Palesa Matlala
