The N1 North in Limpopo, South Africa, has become a scene of tragedy once again, with a second fatal bus accident in just five days claiming the lives of five people travelling from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe. The accident occurred on Sunday evening, just outside Mokopane, near the Nyl Plaza.
The Tamuka Luxury bus, carrying passengers bound for Zimbabwe, overturned along the N1 North, leaving five passengers dead and scores injured. One woman and four men lost their lives in the accident, which occurred around 5:30pm.
“Scores of passengers sustained injuries of varying degrees in the process and have been taken to hospitals in Mokopane,” said Limpopo Transport and Community Safety MEC Violet Mathye.
This latest tragedy comes just five days after another bus accident on the N1, this time near Makhado, claimed the lives of 10 Zimbabwean nationals. The Mzansi Express bus, travelling from Bulawayo in Zimbabwe to Johannesburg, overturned after reportedly driving over a roundabout at high speed.
“According to reports, the bus drove over a roundabout (the last traffic circle from Makhado towards Polokwane) at high speed. It lost control and overturned, killing and injuring its passengers,” said spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene at the time.
“The bus driver is reportedly new to the job and not familiar with the surroundings.”
Following the Makhado accident, Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa visited the scene and confirmed that the government was working with the Zimbabwean government to repatriate the bodies.
The two accidents have left MEC Mathye deeply concerned about the safety of cross-border public transport operators. She has appealed to bus companies to ensure that their drivers are “fit for purpose, as fatigue could possibly have been a cause in [the] accidents”.
“These accidents are affecting cross-border public transport operators,” said Mathye. “We need to ensure that our drivers are well-rested and competent to operate these vehicles.”
The recent spate of accidents has also highlighted the dangers faced by cross-border traders, many of whom rely on buses for their livelihoods. The loss of life in these accidents is a stark reminder of the risks associated with this profession.
Meanwhile, in KwaZulu-Natal, 20 people were killed in three separate accidents on Saturday, including 11 in a head-on collision on the R622 between Greytown and Mooi River in the Midlands.
