Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya,
Beitbridge Bureau
The portion of the road that had been temporarily closed following a bus accident that killed 42 people near Makhado town along the N1 highway in South Africa re-opened to traffic after rescue workers removed the wreckage from the area.
The area around Ingwe lodge with sharp curves and is also mountainous has become a death trap for many road users between Musina and Makhado towns.
The bus carrying Malawians and Zimbabweans plunged into an embankment killing 42 people and injuring several others when the driver lost control.
It is reported that the DNC Transport bus was travelling from Port Elizabeth to Harare when tragedy struck on Sunday afternoon.
According to Limpopo Mirror a publication based in Makhado town, the road was re-opened on Monday afternoon.
“The N1 national road between Louis Trichardt and Musina has reportedly reopened (for now) following yesterday afternoon’s fatal bus accident. At the time of going to press, the death toll stood at 42, with scores of passengers still receiving medical attention,” reported the Limpopo Mirror.
According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation a team of investigators is already on the ground and among the deceased are seven children, 17 men and 18 women.
The injured passengers were taken to Louis Trichardt, Elim and Siloam hospitals for medical attentions where officials from the Malawian and Zimbabwean embassies were expected to offer consular services and compassionate help.
Following the accident, the road was completely closed to traffic, with motorists and the Limpopo’s Department of Transport and Community Safety advised travellers to use alternative routes along the Witvlag road via Siloam back to the N1, and via the Waterpoort road to travel north or south.
The N1 is a major commercial road linking South Africa with cross border travellers from Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, DRC and Zambia.
Meanwhile, the Border Management Authority (South Africa) has described the death of 42 people as a devastating development in the Sadc region’s cross-border corridor.
The Swaymo Enterprises bus that was being operated by DNC Transport was travelling from Gqeberha to Harare, Zimbabwe, when it veered off the road on Sunday, leaving a trail of devastation.
The Road Motor Traffic Corporation is still working to determine the cause of the accident.
Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner, Dr Michael Masiapato said the BMA joins the people of South Africa and nations of Zimbabwe and Malawi in mourning the tragic loss of lives following Sunday’s bus accident.
“On behalf of the BMA and its officials deployed along South Africa’s ports of entry, I extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families, friends, and the governments of Zimbabwe and Malawi,” said Dr Masiapato.
“Our thoughts and prayers are also with those who sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical care. This heart-breaking incident occurred along one of our country’s busiest cross-border corridors linking South Africa with the rest of the SADC region.
“It serves as a painful reminder of the human cost of unsafe travel conditions on long-distance routes and the urgent need to strengthen the safety and security of all people who traverse our borders in search of opportunity, connection and hope”.
He said as the Authority responsible for facilitating safe, orderly, and secure cross-border movements, the BMA remains committed to working closely with the Department of Transport and the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA), law enforcement agencies, and regional counterparts to ensure that the standards of cross-border transport are continuously monitored and enforced.
“We will continue to enhance coordination to protect the lives of travellers who rely on these routes. May the souls of all those who lost their lives in this tragic accident rest in eternal peace, and may their loved ones find comfort during this difficult time,” said Dr Masiapato.
Mathew Masinge