Two provinces were left reeling on Monday after deadly road accidents claimed and injured dozens, highlighting South Africa’s worsening transport safety crisis – particularly involving public and scholar transport.
In Limpopo, at least 42 people, including a 10-month-old baby, were killed when a cross-border bus veered off the N1 near Louis Trichardt and plunged down a steep embankment. Hours later in KwaZulu-Natal, 11 schoolchildren and two adults were injured when a minibus taxi overturned on the N3 before the Marianhill Toll Plaza, and a separate bus caught fire near Mandeni, injuring three passengers.
Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has described the accident as one of the deadliest in recent years. She is expected to visit the scene and hospitals treating survivors later today.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy. Losing so many lives in one incident is painful beyond words,” Ramathuba said. “On behalf of the Limpopo Provincial Government, we extend our deepest condolences to the affected families, including those in Zimbabwe and Malawi.”
Preliminary reports indicate that the ill-fated bus was transporting passengers from Zimbabwe and Malawi who were returning home from the Eastern Cape when the driver lost control along a mountainous section of the N1 northbound. The bus veered off the road and plunged several meters down the embankment.
Emergency services worked to retrieve bodies and assist the injured. Rescue teams from the Department of Transport and Community Safety, Health, and Disaster Management were deployed alongside police and paramedics. Survivors are being treated at hospitals in Louis Trichardt and Makhado.
Investigations are under way to determine whether speeding, driver fatigue, or mechanical failure contributed to the crash. Consular officials from Zimbabwe and Malawi have also been called in to help with victim identification and family liaison.
Meanwhile, in KwaZulu-Natal, MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma confirmed that 11 learners and two adults were injured when a minibus taxi transporting schoolchildren overturned on the N3 before the Marianhill Toll Plaza.
“The RTI team and Traffic Ambassador Ayanda Msweli informed me that the injured have been taken to the nearest hospital. We wish them a speedy recovery,” said Duma.
Preliminary findings point to a mechanical failure. “At this stage, the report indicates that the minibus taxi overturned after a left rear tyre came off,” Duma added. He has ordered a probe into the roadworthiness of the vehicle and the cause of the wheel locknut failure.
Later that night, a bus caught fire near the Mandeni Toll Plaza. Three passengers sustained injuries after being struck by two light vehicles while trying to escape the burning bus. The bus was reportedly transporting guests returning from a wedding to Durban.
“We thank God that no one died from the two accidents,” Duma said, urging motorists to slow down and drive cautiously near accident scenes.
South Africa continues to witness a disturbing rise in accidents involving scholar transport, with many linked to unroadworthy vehicles, reckless driving, and overloading.
According to Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) statistics, more than 120 children have been killed in scholar transport-related accidents in the past two years. In 2024 alone, 48 learners died and over 300 were injured in incidents involving school taxis and buses across the country.
Notable tragedies include: April 2024: 20 learners from Pongola, KwaZulu-Natal, were killed when a truck collided head-on with a school bakkie. August 2024: Nine pupils died in a crash in the Vaal area after their taxi driver lost control. February 2025: Six learners from the Eastern Cape perished when their minibus rolled down a hill on their way to school.
The Department of Transport has repeatedly called for stricter regulation of scholar transport operators, but enforcement remains inconsistent.
Both Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal authorities have pledged to tighten oversight on public and cross-border transport operators.
Premier Ramathuba emphasised the need for collective responsibility: “We cannot continue losing lives this way. Every crash must serve as a reminder of our duty to ensure that every journey begins and ends safely.”
As investigators comb through the wreckage and families begin to mourn, the dual tragedies serve as a grim reminder of South Africa’s persistent road safety crisis – one that continues to rob communities of their children, breadwinners, and future leaders.
