Driver on the Run After Taxi Crash Injures 20 Learners Near Impendle
At least 20 learners have been seriously injured when the minibus taxi transporting them plunged off the KwaKhetha Bridge on the P127 road near Impendle in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, with the driver fleeing the scene.
The shocking accident happened around 7:30am on Monday morning, September 15, 2025, leaving families in shock and communities calling for urgent action on road safety. The taxi, which was carrying pupils from different schools in the area, suddenly veered off the road and dropped a few metres down from the bridge. Emergency services rushed to the spot, and the injured learners were quickly taken to nearby medical spots for help. This heartbreaking event is the third crash involving learner transport in the Umgungundlovu District in just four days, raising big worries about the safety of kids heading to school.
Chaos on the Bridge: What Happened in the Crash
The minibus taxi was packed with schoolchildren from Matomela High School, Luthando High School, and Sthunjwana Primary School when disaster struck. Witnesses described a scary scene as the vehicle lost control on the busy P127 road, a key route through the rolling hills of the KZN Midlands. The taxi smashed through barriers and tumbled down the side of the KwaKhetha Bridge, landing in a rocky spot below. Dust and screams filled the air as bystanders and other drivers stopped to lend a hand.
Paramedics from local ambulance services arrived fast, working hard to free the trapped kids and give first aid right there. Some learners had cuts, broken bones, and head injuries, with a few in serious shape. They were loaded into ambulances and rushed to Gomane Clinic for those with lighter wounds and to Harry Gwala Regional Hospital, also known as Edendale Hospital, for the ones needing more care. Doctors there are fighting to stabilise everyone, and parents waited outside in tears, hoping for good news.
What makes this even worse is that the taxi driver ran off after the crash. No one knows why he bolted, but police and transport officials are hunting him down. They want to question him about what went wrong and check if the taxi was safe to drive. Early checks show the vehicle might not have met basic road rules, a problem seen in other recent crashes too.
KZN Transport Department spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya shared the pain of the moment. “Most disturbing is the taxi driver disappeared and law enforcement agencies are looking for him,” he said. “Learners from Matomela High School, Luthando High School and Sthunjwana Primary School have been taken to Gomane Clinic and Harry Gwala Regional Hospital (Edendale Hospital). We are calling on the South African National Taxi Council in KwaZulu-Natal to meet to discuss these accidents involving taxi associations.”
A Pattern of Tragedy: Three Crashes in Four Days
This Impendle crash is not a one-off. It is the third learner transport accident in the Umgungundlovu District since last Thursday, September 11, 2025. Each one has shown big flaws in how school taxis are run, from bad vehicles to drivers who might not be up to the job. Parents and leaders are fed up, saying enough is enough when it comes to kids’ lives on the road.
The first crash hit hard on Thursday morning in Imbali Unit 18, a busy township outside Pietermaritzburg. A scholar taxi full of pupils lost control and ploughed straight into the Senzokuhle Pre-School, turning a normal school drop-off into a nightmare. Four young lives were lost in the blink of an eye: Luthando Zaca, aged 16; Mthobisi Khambule, also 16; Omphile Aphelele Mbense, 15; and little Zanokuhle Motha (Zondi), just 10 years old. Another pupil is still fighting for life in hospital with serious injuries. Early stories said three or even five died, but officials confirmed four deaths after checking.
Survivors and families told a tough tale. Some kids in the taxi said the driver did not jump out before the smash, staying with them until the end. “The Zaca family which we first visited told us that the kids loved the driver since the driver loved them too,” said Sibiya. But questions linger about his skills – families think he might not have enough experience behind the wheel. The taxi turned out to be unroadworthy, with faults that should have kept it off the roads. The driver was grabbed by police but ended up in hospital under watch, where cops are asking about the crash.
MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma visited the grieving families and the damaged creche. He promised the provincial government would rebuild the school and push hard against dodgy taxis. “The provincial government would rebuild Senzokuhle and called on law enforcement to take action against unroadworthy vehicles and owners,” Duma said. He went with other big names like health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi, Msunduzi mayor Mzi Thebolla, and Umgungundlovu district mayor Mzi Zuma to show support.
Just a day later, on Friday, September 12, another scare rocked the same spot in Imbali. A second scholar taxi went out of control on the road near the creche, but this time the driver managed to stop it before anyone got hurt. No kids were injured, thank goodness, but checks found this taxi was also not roadworthy. It was a close call that showed the dangers are still there, even after the big loss the day before. Paramedics from KwaZulu Private Ambulance rushed to the scene, but luckily, it was just shaken nerves.
These back-to-back crashes in Imbali spotlight deep problems in the area, like rough roads, speeding taxis, and vehicles that skip safety tests. The Umgungundlovu District, home to Pietermaritzburg and surrounding spots like Imbali and Impendle, relies heavily on minibus taxis for school runs. But with three accidents so close together, trust is breaking down.
Calls for Change: Fixing the Scholar Transport Mess
Leaders are not sitting quiet. Sibiya and Duma are teaming up with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) in KZN and the Vehicle Testing Association (VTA) to sort things out. They want a meeting soon to talk about these crashes and stop more from happening. Duma got word of the Impendle crash from Thami Mkhulisa, the director of community services in Impendle municipality. “The most disturbing part is the taxi driver disappeared and law enforcement agencies are looking for him,” Duma added.
As October marks Transport Month, plans are in motion to tighten rules. This includes working together to catch operators using bad vehicles and jailing those who fake roadworthy papers. “We have agreed to work together to isolate elements operating vehicles without roadworthy certificates and to ensure those issuing fraudulent certificates are arrested,” Duma said. Key steps will cover checking drivers’ backgrounds, making sure all taxis pass strict tests twice a year instead of once, and doing surprise audits. Every minibus must get inspected at approved centres that match their routes.
These changes aim to protect kids who depend on taxis every day. In rural spots like Impendle, where public buses are few, scholar transport is a lifeline. But without safe rides, tragedies like this keep coming. Community groups and parents are joining the push, demanding better roads and real enforcement.
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