Tragedy on Highway: Bus Accident Claims the Lives of 42 People
- A tragic bus crash in South Africa’s Limpopo province has claimed the lives of 42 Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals, including seven children
- The vehicle reportedly veered off a steep mountain pass on the N1 highway before plunging down an embankment
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed condolences, calling the incident a shared tragedy for South Africa and its neighbouring states
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Forty-two Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals have died following a devastating bus crash in South Africa’s Limpopo province, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred on Sunday night as the vehicle was navigating a mountainous stretch of the N1 highway.
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Bus crash in Limpopo claims 42 lives
Transport officials reported that the bus, which was en route from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, “veered off the road along a steep mountain pass and plunged down an embankment.” The crash resulted in the deaths of seven children, 18 women, and 17 men. A further 49 passengers sustained injuries, though the total number of people on board remains unclear.
The bus was reportedly transporting nationals of Zimbabwe and Malawi back to their home countries when the accident occurred. The exact cause of the crash is still unknown, and authorities have launched a formal investigation.
President Ramaphosa expresses condolences
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life, describing the tragedy as a shared grief for the region.
“This is not only a tragedy for our country but for our sister states of Zimbabwe and Malawi,” he said.
Government officials, including Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, are expected to visit the crash site and meet with survivors receiving medical treatment.
Investigation underway into fatal bus accident
Authorities have yet to determine the bus’s capacity or confirm how many passengers were aboard at the time of the crash. The steep terrain and challenging conditions of the N1 highway’s mountainous section are being examined as potential contributing factors.
The incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of road safety measures and long-distance transport protocols in South Africa, particularly for cross-border travel.
Tragedy as 6 dead, 19 injured as bus somersaults
Legit.ng earlier reported that six people have reportedly lost their lives while 19 others were injured after a passenger vehicle somersaulted due to a tyre burst at Osuponri Village near the ICT Polytechnic, Itori, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
The spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation on Friday, August 22. As reported by The Punch, Akinbiyi revealed that the vehicle was loaded with 27 passengers when the accident occurred at about 11 a.m.
According to Akinbiyi, the tyre of the vehicle burst while it was at high speed, causing it to somersault. Speaking further, he revealed that the impact of the accident was said to have led to the death of six occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, while 19 others sustained varying degrees of injuries. Akinbiyi noted that the injured victims were taken to the Ifo General Hospital, Ifo, Ogun state, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the same hospital’s morgue.
Source: Legit.ng
