Thu. Nov 14th, 2024

At least 45 people have died after a bus crash near Mamatlakala in northern South Africa’s Limpopo province on Thursday.

South Africa’s transport ministry said the bus plunged from a height of 50 metres, setting it on fire after the driver lost control.

Local transport authorities reported that 46 people were on board the bus, including the driver, and that an eight-year-old child was the only survivor of the crash and was taken to hospital for treatment.

The incident occurred on a large suspension bridge located between two hills near Mamatlakala in the north of Limpopo County, more than 300 kilometers from Johannesburg.

Transport Minister Sencio Chikonga, who visited the accident site, pledged a thorough investigation to determine the causes of the disaster.

South Africa has one of the most advanced road networks on the continent but suffers from low road safety rates.

Earlier, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged citizens to “work hard to ensure the Easter holiday is safe.”

He issued a statement hours before the incident, saying: “Easter should not turn into a period when we expect figures of tragic accidents or injuries on our roads.”

 

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