Driver in deadly Carltonville crash Gert van Emmenis due in court
Fifty-five-year-old Gert van Emmenis is facing charges of culpable homicide following a devastating crash in July last year.
Gert van Emmenis (left), the man charged for the Carletonville crash that claimed 12 lives, appeared at the Fochville Magistrate's Court on 18 July 2024. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - The man accused of causing the deaths of 12 people, including 11 children, returns to the Fochville Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Fifty-five-year-old Gert van Emmenis is facing charges of culpable homicide following a devastating crash in July last year.
According to police, his van collided with a minibus taxi in Carletonville, killing the schoolchildren and their driver on impact.
Van Emmenis made two court appearances in 2024 and was granted bail of R20,000.
His case was postponed to allow for further investigation.
The tragedy unfolded on JB Marx Road, a dangerous curving hill.
READ: NPA says it had no grounds to oppose bail against accused in Carletonville crash
After van Emmeni's Ford Ranger rammed into the Toyota Siyaya carrying the children, it lost control, overturned and caught fire.
The children, all under the age of 13, were burned beyond recognition, making the identification process painfully lengthy for their grieving families.
A mass funeral was held shortly after the incident, with communities still reeling from the loss.
The court will hear evidence from the State and receive an indication of how the 55-year-old intends to plead.