At least 42 passengers have been reported dead, and 49 others sustained varying degrees of injury after the commercial bus they were traveling on crashed in a mountainous region of northern South Africa.
The bus, which was en route to Zimbabwe, carried Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals traveling home from the city of Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
Among the passengers who lost their lives in the incident, whose cause is yet to be determined, were seven children, 17 men, and 18 women.
The crash occurred around 6 p.m. yesterday on the N1 highway near the town of Louis Trichardt, approximately 400 kilometers (248 miles) north of Pretoria, the country’s capital.
Confirming the incident, the South African Transport Ministry disclosed that six people were critically injured, while another 31 sustained serious injuries and were taken to several hospitals.
The ministry further stated that a thorough investigation has commenced to determine the exact cause of the crash.
In a statement, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa extended “his deep condolences to the nations of Zimbabwe and Malawi who have lost compatriots.”
“This sadness is compounded by the fact that this incident has taken place during our annual transport month, where we place a special focus on the importance of safety on our roads,” Ramaphosa added.
