The Boy Who Wouldn’t Run: The Henley-on-Klip Bus Disaster (1970)

On 28 January 1970, a routine school journey in Henley-on-Klip, South Africa, ended in one of the country’s most heartbreaking transport tragedies. A school bus carrying children home stalled on a railway level crossing. An oncoming passenger train could not stop in time. Twenty-three children lost their lives. This video tells the full, factual story of the Henley-on-Klip bus disaster — not through speculation or exaggeration, but through documented history, eyewitness accounts, and official records. At the centre of this tragedy stands Johan le Roux, a 17-year-old schoolboy who, in the final moments before impact, chose not to save himself. Instead, he forced open a window and helped other children escape. Johan did not survive, but his actions saved lives. He was later posthumously awarded the Woltemade Decoration for Bravery (Silver) — one of South Africa’s highest civilian honours for courage. This video exists to remember every child, to honour real heroism, and to ensure that this story is told truthfully and with respect. 🕯️ In Loving Memory The children who lost their lives at Henley-on-Klip: JOHAN LE ROUX FLIPPIE GROBLER MARTIE ACKERMAN ANSIE ACKERMAN JIMMY MILBURN DEBBY RASMUSSEN GEOFFREY RASMUSSEN NICO GELDENHUYS JOHAN GELDENHUYS ENA LOTTER LENIE LOTTER PETRO NEL BABSIE STRYDOM ELIZABETH MYBURGH HEINRICH WIEGAND ABRAM WIEGAND LLOYD HOPKINS HANSIE DE KOKER CIELIE PRETORIUS RIA SMIT SANDRA NORTJÉ PONKIES VAN DER WALT You are remembered. 🎬 Visual Credits Some illustrations and visual references used in this video were adapted from The Henley-on-Klip movie, used here for historical and illustrative purposes to help viewers visualise events where no archival footage exists. 📚 Sources & Research All information in this video is based on independent historical sources, including: • Contemporary newspaper reports (Rand Daily Mail, The Star, Vaal Weekblad archives) • South African memorial and monument records • Official bravery award documentation (Woltemade Decoration for Bravery) • Community historical records and commemorative publications • Verified transport and railway incident summaries Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, respect, and factual integrity. 🤍 Shoutout & Thanks Thank you to the Henley-on-Klip and Meyerton community, historians, and families who continue to preserve the memory of this tragedy — not as a spectacle, but as a reminder of lives lost and courage shown. shoutout to ‪@ud_paranormal‬ & ‪@TheRogueUrbex‬ This video was created with care, respect, and remembrance. 00:00 INTRO 01:25 THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE DISASTER 01:43 JOHAN LE ROUX 02:28 THE DISASTER 04:50 THE AFTERMATH 07:52 REST IN PEACE 08:01 FINAL THOUGHTS #history #henleyonklip #busdisaster #southafricanhistory #johanleroux #tragedies #restinpeace