Investigations are underway to determine the cause of a fatal bus crash that occurred on the R37 between Lydenburg and Sabie in Mpumala yesterday.

It was initially reported that two people were killed in the collision, however, the death toll has been confirmed as seven after emergency personnel and other stakeholders working on the scene uncovered more bodies.

According to the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison (DCSSL) spokesperson Moeti Mmusi, the incident happened when a bus they were travelling on seemingly lost control and overturned.

“The driver is among the 52 people who sustained injuries and had to be transported to nearby hospitals. The cause of this major accident is now a subject of investigation by various stakeholders, and some of these are currently on the scene,” Mmusi said yesterday.

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LONG TOM PASS ACCIDENT UPDATE: Lowvelder is on the scene. According to Emer-G-Med’s Martin Jeffrey, there are 53 injured persons. Six deaths have been confirmed. Sarza is on the scene. Van Wettens will be moving in with a rig to recover the bus. This will then determine if there are more dead or injured. The road is still closed and motorists are advised to use alternative routes. Lowvelder will update its readers once more information becomes available. #Buscrash #caraccident #longtompass #accident #rescue

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Mpumalanga DCSSL MEC Vusi Shongwe once again appealed for cautious usage of the road during the festive season.

He said it was deeply disheartening for the province to start the season on such a grim note.

“We are concerned about the number of fatalities that the province recorded so far from the crashes since last week. We continue to make a clarion call to motorists to be extremely vigilant amid rising traffic volumes. They should be patient and plan their trips accordingly,” Shongwe urged.

He sent heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.