40 Killed in South African Bus Tragedy: Malawian and Zimbabwean Nationals Among Victims

Thirty-eight individuals were hospitalized while rescue teams continued searching for additional victims.

South Africa:

A devastating bus accident in South Africa claimed at least 40 lives, including citizens from Malawi and Zimbabwe, when the passenger vehicle plunged down an embankment, according to Limpopo province transport minister Violet Mathye on Monday.

The incident occurred approximately 90 kilometers (55 miles) from the border on Sunday when the driver apparently lost control of the bus that was en route to Zimbabwe, Mathye reported.

"Rescue operations are still ongoing at the scene, but 40 fatalities have already been confirmed at this time," Mathye told Newzroom Afrika channel. Among the deceased was a 10-month-old infant girl, she added.

Thirty-eight survivors were receiving medical treatment in hospitals while rescue personnel continued searching for potential additional victims, she informed eNCA media.

The bus had departed from the southern city of Gqeberha, approximately 1,500 kilometers away, carrying passengers including Malawian and Zimbabwean workers employed in South Africa. The minister suggested the crash might have resulted from driver fatigue or mechanical failure.

South Africa maintains an advanced and heavily trafficked road network with a high incidence of traffic fatalities, primarily attributed to excessive speed, reckless driving behaviors, and vehicles in poor mechanical condition.