Tragedy in South Africa: 45 Church-Goers killed as Bus Plunges into Ravine, Leaving Sole Survivor, an 8-Year-Old Child

The Ministry of Transport announced in a press release that an accident involving a bus carrying passengers from Botswana occurred in Moria (north), resulting in at least 45 deaths and one person severely injured.

According to the ministry, the driver lost control of the vehicle, crashing into security barriers on the bridge.

Subsequently, the bus plunged off the bridge, igniting upon impact with the ground.

There were 46 individuals on board, including the driver.

Regrettably, only one person, an eight-year-old child, survived, as confirmed by the provincial Department of Transport, which also mentioned that the child was transported to the hospital.

The department further stated that some bodies were severely burned, rendering them unrecognizable, while others were trapped beneath the wreckage.

Medical attention was provided on-site, and operations continued until late Thursday evening.

The accident occurred on a substantial bridge suspended between two hills near Mmamatlakala in Limpopo province (north), situated over 300 kilometers away from Johannesburg.

Local authorities confirmed that the bus bore Botswana registration numbers.

At this stage, the nationalities of the passengers have not been officially confirmed. Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who visited the scene on Thursday, pledged a comprehensive investigation into the accident’s causes.

Despite having one of Africa’s most advanced road networks, South Africa ranks poorly in terms of road safety.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, on Thursday, urged South Africans to take all necessary precautions to ensure a safe Easter holiday.

He emphasized that Easter should not be a period marked by awaiting statistics of road tragedies or injuries, as stated in a message released just hours before the accident occurred.