Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A CROSS-BORDER bus driver employed by Mzansi Express died on the spot while eight passengers, believed to be Zimbabweans, sustained injuries in a pile-up accident along the N1 highway near Musina in South Africa during the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred around 2 AM when the Mutare-bound bus, which was travelling from Johannesburg, rammed into a commercial truck that had already collided with a light delivery vehicle just outside Musina town in Limpopo Province.
Confirming the incident, South Africa’s Department of Transport and Community Safety spokesperson, Ms Tidimalo Chuene, said nine people were injured in the crash.
“A serious road accident occurred in Musina on the N1 north in Vhembe District. It is reported that a commercial truck lost control and collided with a light delivery van and a bus at around 1.58 AM on Tuesday,” said Ms Chuene.
She said the bus driver, a Zimbabwean male, died instantly, while four passengers suffered moderate injuries and four others, including one passenger from the delivery vehicle, sustained minor injuries.
She noted that preliminary investigations point to reckless driving as a possible cause of the crash. Ms Chuene urged all road users to prioritise safety and strictly observe traffic laws, particularly on busy highways like the N1, which has increasingly become a death trap for cross-border travellers.
“Let’s prioritise road safety and respect the lives of all road users,” she said.
The N1 highway is one of southern Africa’s busiest trade and passenger routes, linking South Africa with Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, the DRC, Angola and Tanzania. It is frequented by thousands of motorists, long-haul truckers and
