A devastating bus crash on the R21 northbound near the OR Tambo International Airport interchange claimed the lives of 12 people on Monday morning.
UPDATE: The death toll in this morning’s R21 bus crash has risen to 16.
At least 12 killed in R21 Ekurhuleni bus crash
The accident forced the closure of all four lanes of the highway as emergency responders rushed to the scene.
Ekurhuleni metro police spokesperson Thabiso Makgato confirmed that the crash caused major disruptions, with authorities urging motorists to use alternative routes while emergency personnel worked to clear the wreckage.
Ekurhuleni EMS spokesperson William Ntladi stated that nine men and three women lost their lives in the crash, while several others were critically injured and rushed to nearby hospitals.
“A bus has jackknifed, rolled several times, and unfortunately in that accident, we have accounted for 12 fatalities,” Ntladi said.
“The entire freeway is still closed, and more information will be provided as the rescue operation continues.”
The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, with officials looking into possible factors such as driver fatigue, mechanical failure, or hazardous road conditions.
This tragic accident comes just a day after a similar deadly crash in another part of Ekurhuleni. On Monday morning, four schoolchildren lost their lives on the N12 near Daveyton when a private scholar transport vehicle collided with a Toyota Yaris.
The horrific crash, which also left five others critically injured, occurred just before the Putfontein Road off-ramp.
The victims were schoolchildren of different ages from various East Rand schools.
Ntladi described the scene as “gut-wrenching,” revealing that the impact left a woman trapped in the wreckage.
Emergency responders used hydraulic rescue equipment, known as the Jaws of Life, to free her before airlifting her to a nearby hospital.