Bus detained in Limpopo: Unauthorised route, overloading
The bus was found carrying almost double the amount of allowed passengers, says Transport media liaison officer Mike Maringa.
LIMPOPO – A bus travelling from Cape Town to Zimbabwe has been detained by Provincial Public Transport Unit members, after it was found carrying almost double the amount of allowed passengers.
According to Transport media liaison officer Mike Maringa, the bus was stopped along the R521 near Makgodu in the Capricorn district.
“The bus was escorted by a team led by traffic officials to Polokwane Weighbridge for thorough inspection. It was established that the bus was using an unauthorised route and carried 101 passengers, which is 40 more than its maximum loading capacity,” he explained.
Maringa added that the bus also weighed three tons and 640kgs more than permitted.
“Summons were issued, pertinent to the transgressions as established. According to the bus driver, they left Cape Town on Sunday evening and were expected to arrive in Zimbabwe on Wednesday morning,” he explained.
Limpopo Transport and Community Safety MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya thanked traffic officers for their ‘sterling work’ and emphasised that the main focus this festive season should be public transport.
“We cannot allow operators to gamble with passengers’ lives. No public transport will be allowed on our roads if it does not comply with the laws of the road. You cannot allow a busy to ferry 101 people during the fourth wave of Covid-19 infections. The impounding of the bus should be a lesson to others who think they can do as they wish,” she added.
