Pretoria 22 Apr (ANA) - At least 19 children have been killed in a minibus crash near the South African capital, Pretoria, emergency services and officials say. The children died after the vehicle burst into flames following a collision with a truck just north of the capital. There were understood to be both primary and secondary school-aged children on board. Panyaza Lesufi, the official responsible for education in Gauteng province, said it was a "dark day". The minibus collided with a truck on the single carriageway R25, between Verena in Mpumalanga and Bronkhorstspruit in Gauteng, having left from Mahlenga High. The emergency services rescued seven children before the bus burst into flames. "It is believed the driver of minibus underestimated the speed of the truck and collided with him whilst turning," the Gauteng Education Department said in a statement. Police later said the bus driver was also killed in the accident, while the driver of the truck survived. Pictures show the minibus on its side, entirely burnt out.(ANA)

FA/ANA/22 April 2017----