PRETORIA – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has conveyed his condolences to the governments and citizens of Zimbabwe and Malawi following a devastating bus crash near Makhado in Limpopo on Sunday, which left at least 42 people dead.
The bus, travelling from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape to Harare and onward to Malawi, veered off the N1 highway on Sunday afternoon and plunged down an embankment. The accident occurred in a mountainous section of the road, according to provincial transport officials.
Authorities confirmed that the deceased include seven children, 18 women, and 17 men, while 49 other passengers sustained injuries.
In a statement issued on Monday, President Ramaphosa described the tragedy as a painful loss for the entire region.
“This incident is a tragedy for South Africa and our sister states of Zimbabwe and Malawi alike,” he said.
“This sadness is compounded by the fact that it occurred during our annual Transport Month, where we emphasize the importance of safety on our roads.”
He extended his sympathies to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
“Our roads are also economic networks that unite the people of our region,” Ramaphosa added.
“We must all, as drivers, passengers, and transport operators, take responsibility for ensuring safety and exercising care for one another on our roads.”
Forensic experts were still investigating the cause of the accident on Monday. The N1 near Ingwe Lodge was closed for several hours as emergency teams worked to clear the wreckage.
South Africa’s Transport Minister, Barbara Creecy, and other government officials were expected to visit the crash site and meet with survivors receiving treatment during the time of writing.
Renowned journalist Hopewell Chin’ono urged “both the Zimbabwean and Malawian governments to take full responsibility for the repatriation of their remains and to cover the costs of their funerals.
“It is the least act of dignity and compassion that these two governments can offer to honour the memory of their citizens who died while striving to survive.”
