Dozens of mourners gathered at a sports complex in Vereeniging, South Africa, to honour three schoolchildren killed in a school bus accident, as Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the tragedy was being mourned not only by the affected families but by the entire nation.
He told the gathering that people had come together in deep pain, disappointment and emotional distress, reflecting the collective grief felt across the country.
The memorial service drew government officials, school pupils and members of the public who assembled in solidarity with the bereaved families.
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, said the families remained in the nation’s prayers, stressing that their loss was shared by all South Africans.
Authorities said the death toll from the crash rose to 14 after two teenage girls died from their injuries, while the bus driver has been charged with murder.
The private minibus, which was conveying pupils to schools south of Johannesburg, collided with a truck, killing 12 children instantly and injuring seven others, some of whom have since been discharged from hospital.