Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
The portion of the N1 highway near Makhado town, temporarily closed following a bus accident that claimed 42 lives, has been reopened after rescue workers removed the wreckage.
The stretch around Ingwe Lodge, known for its sharp curves and mountainous terrain, has become notorious for accidents, posing a significant danger to road users travelling between Musina and Makhado towns.
The DNC Transport bus, carrying Malawian and Zimbabwean passengers, plunged into an embankment on Sunday afternoon after the driver lost control, killing 42 people and injuring several others.
The bus was travelling from Port Elizabeth to Harare when the tragedy occurred. According to Limpopo Mirror, the road was reopened 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,” the publication reported.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation confirmed that a team of investigators is on site. Among the deceased are seven children, 17 men, and 18 women.
Injured passengers were taken to Louis Trichardt, Elim, and Siloam hospitals, where officials from the Malawian and Zimbabwean embassies were expected to provide consular support and assistance to affected families.
Following the accident, the N1 had been completely closed, with motorists advised to use alternative routes via Witvlag road through Siloam or the Waterpoort road for north-south travel.
The N1 is a key commercial route linking South Africa with cross-border travellers from Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, the DRC, and Zambia.
