South Africa: Girl, 8, only survivor as 45 killed in bus crash
Authorities in South Africa report that a tragic incident has resulted in the loss of forty-five lives, as a bus veered off a bridge, plummeting approximately 50 meters (165 feet) into a ravine.
The sole survivor, an eight-year-old girl, sustained serious injuries and was promptly transported to the hospital.
The bus, carrying passengers on a pilgrimage from Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, to attend an Easter service in Moria, crashed through a barrier before igniting upon impact with the ground in the northeastern Limpopo province.
According to the South African public broadcaster SABC, the accident occurred on the Mmamatlakala mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken, approximately 300 kilometers (190 miles) north of Johannesburg, when the vehicle lost control and careened off the bridge.
Rescue efforts persisted late into Thursday evening, with some casualties reportedly challenging to reach amidst the wreckage.
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who visited the crash site, expressed her deepest sympathies to the affected families and pledged governmental support in repatriating the deceased and conducting a comprehensive inquiry into the crash’s cause.
She emphasized the importance of responsible driving, especially during the heightened traffic of the Easter weekend, urging vigilance and caution on the roads.
South Africa has a poor road safety record.
In an Easter message released earlier in the day, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged citizens to “do our best to make this a safe Easter”.
It should “not be a time where we sit back and wait to see statistics on tragedy or injuries on our roads”, he added.
