Silethemba Mlauzi
A horrific bus accident on Tuesday night in South Africa left 10 people dead and several others injured. The Mzansi Express bus, carrying passengers from Bulawayo to Johannesburg, was involved in the crash at the Three Mile Circle in Makhado. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Zimbabwe, as many of the victims were believed to be Zimbabweans returning.
According to a statement by South Africa’s Department of Transport and Community Safety in Limpopo, the accident took place at 3 Miles, on the N1 around Makhado. “The bus was en-route to Johannesburg from Zimbabwe, when the accident happened just before midnight, on the evening of Tuesday, 27 August 2024.”
“All the deceased, 5 males and 5 females, are reportedly foreign nationals,” the department said through acting MEC spokesperson Phuti Lekganyane on Wednesday.
The bus, registration number HT73PGGP, was carrying 67 passengers and the bus crew when the accident occurred. According to a statement released by Mzansi Express, “Following this accident, some passengers tragically lost their lives and several others suffered various degrees of injuries.”
Emergency services responded to the scene and transported the injured and deceased to Makhado and Elim hospitals. Mzansi Express is cooperating with law enforcement agencies as they investigate the cause of the accident and has pledged to notify next of kin once the identification of all passengers is completed.
