Limpopo Bus Crash Death Toll Rises To 43 As Families Begin Identification Process

The devastating bus crash on the N1 near Louis Trichardt in Limpopo has claimed yet another life, raising the death toll from 42 to 43. Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba confirmed the new figure on Tuesday, expressing deep sorrow over the latest fatality.

The bus, reportedly travelling from Gqeberha to Zimbabwe and Malawi, veered off the road and plunged down an embankment on Sunday evening.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 42 Dead After Bus Overturns On N1 Highway In Limpopo, 49 Injured

“It has been a difficult past two nights. What we can indicate is that unfortunately and regrettably, out of the death toll we have now increased by one last night, bringing the total number of deaths as a result of this tragedy to 43.

“This one is a male patient who was amongst the six priority ones, those that we indicated were very critical. So, unfortunately, he passed on last night,” said Ramathuba.

Families Urged To Come Forward for Identification

Premier Ramathuba confirmed that the process of identifying the deceased passengers would begin on Wednesday and appealed to families to assist in the process.

“We have already started to make a call to the families, those that know that their loved ones were on the bus they should contact Dr Raligiba from Louis Trichardt Hospital so that he can be able to check if it’s one of the admitted patients or survivors or if it’s one of the deceased,” she explained.

She added that post-mortems would begin soon to help identify the victims. “We are saying families must come and then we’ll start to do that identification,” Ramathuba stated.

Regional Mourning for Victims of Cross-Border Disaster

Border Management Authority Commissioner Michael Masiapato also extended condolences to the victims’ families and the nations affected, including Zimbabwe and Malawi.

“This heartbreaking incident occurred along one of our country’s busiest cross-border corridors linking South Africa with the rest of the SADC region,” said Masiapato.

“It serves as a painful reminder of the human cost of unsafe travel conditions on long-distance routes and the urgent need to strengthen the safety and security of all people who traverse our borders in search of opportunity, connection and hope. We remain committed to that law that the standards of cross-border transport are continuously monitored and enforced.”

---

For More, Follow SurgeZirc SA On  Facebook, X,  Instagram and Bluesky