Another Bus Accident in South Africa
Limpopo, South Africa — In yet another tragic bus accident on South African roads, five Zimbabweans have lost their lives after a cross-border bus overturned in Limpopo province. The accident occurred at around 17:30 on Sunday, 1st September 2024, along the N1-north towards the Nyl Plaza, just outside Mokopane.
According to Violet Mathye, Limpopo’s Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for Transport and Community Safety, the bus was en route from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe when it overturned. “Five people – one female and four males, lost their lives as a result of the accident,” Mathye confirmed.
Phuti Lekganyane, the acting spokesperson for Transport and Community Safety, elaborated in a statement that several other passengers sustained injuries of varying degrees and were subsequently transported to hospitals in Mokopane for medical attention.
While investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing, initial reports suggest that driver fatigue may have played a role in the tragedy. MEC Mathye urged bus companies to ensure that their drivers are “fit for purpose” to prevent such accidents in the future.
This incident marks the second fatal bus accident involving Zimbabwean nationals within a week. Just five days earlier, another cross-border bus, operated by Mzansi Express, overran a traffic circle outside Makhado (Louis Trichardt) in South Africa. The bus overturned, resulting in the death of ten Zimbabweans.
Authorities continue to investigate both accidents, while the increasing frequency of such incidents has prompted urgent calls for improved safety measures and oversight of cross-border bus operations.
The recent spate of accidents has brought renewed attention to road safety concerns in the region, with many questioning whether enough is being done to safeguard the lives of passengers traveling between South Africa and Zimbabwe.- Agencies
