Vanderbijlpark – A viral image falsely presented as a memorial for pupils killed in the Vaal taxi crash has been condemned by the Gauteng Department of Education, with officials warning that the picture was created using artificial intelligence and does not show the actual victims.
The report, originally published by IOL, states that the image circulated widely on social media shows smiling schoolchildren in uniform arranged in a collage, alongside white doves, candles and crosses marked RIP. It was shared with claims that it depicted learners who died in the crash on the R553 near Vanderbijlpark.
Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabona described the image as a cruel hoax and questioned the motive behind creating fake visuals of deceased children while families are in mourning.
The crash occurred on Monday when a taxi transporting pupils to school allegedly attempted to overtake several vehicles before colliding head on with an oncoming truck. At least 12 pupils were killed in the collision. The 22 year old driver has since been arrested and is facing 12 counts of culpable homicide, as well as charges of reckless and negligent driving.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said the driver was expected to appear before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court within 48 hours.
Image: Supplied
According to the education department, three of the deceased learners attended Hoërskool Vanderbijlpark. One pupil each came from Vaal High, Oakwood Primary, Vaal Triangle Primary, Oliver Lodge Primary and Noordhoek Primary, while four learners were enrolled at El Shaddai, an independent school.
Mabona said three learners remain in hospital, with one airlifted to a private medical facility due to the seriousness of injuries. Another learner has since been discharged.
The fake image was designed as a memorial style collage made up of individual portraits of schoolchildren in uniform, arranged in rows against a dramatic background of a damaged taxi meant to resemble the crash scene. The text on the image claims it is in loving memory of learners who died in the Vanderbijlpark Sebokeng taxi crash, despite this not being true.
Speaking at Hoërskool Vanderbijlpark, Mabona urged the public to stop circulating unverified content, particularly AI generated images, saying such actions cause further distress to grieving families.
Technology analyst Arthur Goldstuck, chief executive of World Wide Worx, said deepfakes often contain visual clues such as unnatural blinking, poorly synchronised lips, overly smooth skin and lighting that does not match the environment. He added that content designed to provoke strong emotional reactions should always be treated with caution.
Mabona also cautioned against creating material purely for social media attention, saying families must be respected and that only images released with consent from relatives should be shared publicly.
Discussion about this post