标签： Africa

Dubai has embarked on a groundbreaking pilot program that could fundamentally reshape the city’s morning commute. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Yango Group and Urban Express, has launched an innovative school transport pooling system utilizing shared SUV vehicles for students traveling to and from nearby educational institutions.

The initiative specifically targets high-congestion school clusters, beginning with Al Barsha and surrounding neighborhoods where parking limitations and peak-hour traffic create significant challenges. The program represents a strategic response to extensive RTA research identifying key issues including excessive private vehicle usage, prolonged student travel durations, and morning traffic bottlenecks.

Participating schools in this initial phase include prominent institutions such as Al Mawakeb School Al Barsha, American School of Dubai, Bloom World Academy, Brighton College Dubai, Dubai Heights Academy, Dubai International Academy, and multiple GEMS Education schools, among others in the area.

The operational model employs demand-based routing rather than fixed lines for individual schools. After registration, students from similar neighborhoods share SUV vehicles with routes and schedules meticulously planned in advance to align with school timings. Vehicles are assigned to designated parking zones serving several neighboring schools, minimizing unnecessary detours and maintaining journey times within a 60-minute threshold.

Parents of students at participating schools can register interest through Yango’s online portal or the Urban Express platform. Registrations are processed continuously, with routes activated based on demand feasibility and school coordination. The rollout employs a phased approach to ensure service quality, clear family communication, and smooth school coordination.

During the pilot phase, the service operates on a monthly subscription model with introductory rates ranging between Dh800 and Dh1,000, payable exclusively online. The current structure prioritizes predictable attendance to maintain pooling efficiency, though term-based plans may be considered as the service evolves.

This initiative supports the RTA’s broader objective to increase shared or school transportation usage among students to 60% within the next three years. Notably, officials emphasize that the system complements rather than replaces existing bus transport infrastructure.

Expansion into additional communities will occur in phases, contingent on demand patterns, route feasibility, and regulatory approvals. Parents whose schools or residential areas aren’t yet covered can still register interest for future expansion planning.

A devastating road accident in South Africa’s Gauteng province has resulted in the deaths of thirteen schoolchildren after their minibus collided with a heavy goods vehicle. The tragic incident occurred on Monday morning at approximately 07:00 local time near Vanderbijlpark, located south of Johannesburg.

According to police spokesperson Mavela Masondo, preliminary investigations indicate the minibus driver attempted to overtake two vehicles before crashing into the oncoming lorry. The impact proved immediately fatal, with eleven students pronounced dead at the scene. Two additional children later succumbed to their injuries in medical facilities, while two remain in critical condition fighting for their lives.

Law enforcement authorities have confirmed the initiation of a culpable homicide case as part of the ongoing investigation. The minibus driver is reportedly receiving hospital treatment, though the condition and whereabouts of the lorry driver remain uncertain according to official statements.

This tragedy highlights South Africa’s persistent road safety crisis, where factors including excessive speeding, dangerous driving behaviors, and inadequate vehicle maintenance contribute to alarmingly high accident rates. Recent statistics reveal that despite a 6% reduction in road fatalities from the previous year, 11,418 individuals lost their lives in traffic incidents throughout 2025 – averaging 31 daily deaths.

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed profound distress regarding the incident, emphasizing that “our children are the nation’s most precious assets.” The president called for comprehensive safety measures encompassing both road regulation compliance and improved standards for scholar transport services.

A devastating head-on collision between a school minibus and a truck in Gauteng province has resulted in the tragic deaths of 13 schoolchildren, marking one of South Africa’s most severe educational transport accidents in recent memory. The catastrophic incident occurred approximately at 7 a.m. on Monday during morning transportation operations in the southwestern region of Johannesburg.

According to preliminary investigations by emergency response teams, 11 children lost their lives immediately at the accident scene, while two additional students subsequently succumbed to critical injuries after emergency medical transfers to nearby healthcare facilities. The private minibus was actively engaged in transporting students to multiple primary and secondary educational institutions when the collision transpired.

Eyewitness accounts provided to law enforcement officials indicate the school transport vehicle was attempting to overtake stationary traffic when it directly collided with the oncoming truck. Gauteng Emergency Medical Services coordinated the immediate response, transporting five critically injured patients to Sebokeng Hospital and two others to Kopanong Hospital for specialized trauma care. The minibus driver, who also sustained injuries in the catastrophic impact, remains under medical supervision.

Provincial Education Department Minister Matome Chiloane confirmed both drivers will face comprehensive investigations, with particular scrutiny directed toward potential reckless operation of the school transport vehicle. Concurrent police investigations are examining all contributing factors to the tragic collision.

Distressing scenes unfolded at the accident location as grief-stricken parents arrived, with many overcome by emotional devastation. Emergency personnel were observed recovering scattered educational materials and personal belongings from the crash site.

President Cyril Ramaphosa issued an official statement expressing profound national sorrow, emphasizing that “our children represent the nation’s most precious assets” while calling for enhanced road safety measures and improved transportation standards. The national government has committed to providing comprehensive psychosocial support services to affected families, schools, and communities.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube highlighted concerning patterns in school transport safety, noting that numerous accidents result from driver error while urging the Transportation Department to intensify vehicle roadworthiness verification processes for all educational transport providers.

A heartbreaking human trafficking epidemic is devastating families across West Africa, where criminal networks are exploiting desperate job seekers through sophisticated scams operating under the guise of legitimate company QNET. The BBC Africa Eye investigation has uncovered the brutal reality of these operations through the tragic story of Foday Musa, a Guinean father separated from his children for nearly two years.

Musa’s nightmare began in February 2024 when his 22-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter were recruited from their remote village in Guinea’s Faranah region by agents promising overseas employment. Instead of legitimate jobs, the seven recruits found themselves captives of human traffickers who transported them across the border into Sierra Leone.

“My heart is broken. I can’t stop crying. If you look at my eyes, you can see the pain,” Musa told BBC investigators, describing the agony of listening to his son’s desperate 76-second voice message begging for rescue.

The criminal syndicates have weaponized the name of QNET—a legitimate Hong Kong-based wellness and lifestyle company—to lend credibility to their operations. Traffickers target vulnerable individuals with promises of employment in the United States, Canada, Dubai, and Europe, demanding substantial upfront payments for alleged administrative costs.

Victims who pay these fees—often their family’s entire savings—are typically trafficked to neighboring countries and informed they can only proceed abroad after recruiting additional participants. Even when victims successfully enlist friends and family members, the promised jobs never materialize.

INTERPOL’s anti-trafficking unit in Sierra Leone has made combating these networks a priority. “It’s very easy for these traffickers to manoeuvre across each of our borders at these illegal crossing points,” explained Mahmoud Conteh, head of investigations at Sierra Leone’s anti-trafficking unit.

The investigation revealed that traffickers maintain multiple safe houses where victims are held in squalid conditions. During one raid in Makeni, central Sierra Leone, authorities discovered 10-15 people sleeping per room, with some victims as young as 14. Most originated from Guinea, highlighting the transnational nature of the crisis.

The psychological impact on victims is profound. Aminata (pseudonym), a 23-year-old Sierra Leonean woman, described how traffickers forced her into prostitution to survive after her family’s college savings were stolen. Victims are compelled to participate in elaborate deception campaigns, complete with fake passports and staged airport photos to maintain the illusion of international travel.

Despite police conducting over 20 raids in the past year and rescuing hundreds of victims, prosecutions remain scarce. US State Department statistics reveal only four trafficking convictions in Sierra Leone between July 2022 and April 2025, underscoring the challenges under-resourced authorities face.

In a bittersweet development, INTERPOL confirmed that Musa’s children were eventually released by traffickers. His daughter has returned to Guinea but hasn’t contacted her family, reflecting the deep shame experienced by many victims. Musa’s son remains missing, leaving the father’s anguish unresolved.

“After all that has happened, I really just want it all to be over and to see my kids,” Musa expressed, his voice heavy with the weight of nearly two years of uncertainty and heartbreak.