One dead in N1 bus crash near Louis Trichardt

LIMPOPO – One person died and several others were seriously injured when a bus overturned on the N1 north outside Louis Trichardt last Wednesday.

The accident occurred just before the Ingwe Hotel.

Bad weather and slippery roads blamed

It is believed the driver of the northbound bus lost control on a slippery road surface due to bad weather.

The fully loaded vehicle veered off the road and overturned.

All passengers were transported to Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital for treatment.

The name of the deceased was not known at the time of going to press.

Road closure and recovery efforts

Transport spokesperson Mashudu Mabatha confirmed that the N1 between Louis Trichardt and Musina was closed from 08:00 until Thursday morning, between Witvlag Junction and the Hendrik Verwoerd Tunnel.

The closure allowed for the recovery of the bus, which had fallen into a ditch.

Mabatha said recovery efforts were delayed by persistent rainfall and the heavy load carried by the bus.

The service provider was unable to remove the wreckage immediately and had to first offload the goods before recovery operations could continue.

Third incident at the same spot raises concern

This marks the third incident reported in three months at the same turn near the Ingwe Hotel.

In a previous incident, the driver of a heavily loaded truck lost control after its brakes failed.

Reports indicate that the impact did not slow the vehicle, and the bus, along with its trailer, broke through safety barriers on the opposite side of the road and plunged down a cliff.

Calls for road safety measures

The driver escaped without serious injuries, while two passengers were treated for minor injuries and later discharged.

Transport MEC Violet Mathye expressed concern over the rising number of road accidents.

“This is a serious concern, as more innocent lives are lost on our roads. All stakeholders must work with government to develop initiatives to reduce fatalities,” she said.