In South Africa, at least forty-five people have died after a bus fell off the top of a bridge

A serious road accident in South Africa on Thursday March 28 killed almost all the passengers of a bus, the vehicle fell about fifty meters from the top of a bridge before crashing to the bottom of a ravine. “At least fifty people were killed and one seriously injured in an accident involving a bus apparently carrying passengers from Botswana to Moria (North)”.The Ministry of Transport made the announcement in a press release.

“The driver apparently lost control of his vehicle, hitting the safety barriers on the bridge. The bus went overboard and hit the ground, where it caught fire., the ministry clarified. A total of 46 passengers including the driver were on board the bus. According to the provincial transport department, only one person, an 8-year-old child, survived the accident. He was taken to hospital.

“Some bodies were burned beyond recognition, others were trapped under the rubble and still others were scattered around the scene”.The department said in a statement that rescue operations continued till late evening.

Bad student when it comes to road safety

The accident happened on a large suspension bridge between two hills near Mamamatlakala in Limpopo Province (North), more than 300 kilometers from Johannesburg. According to local authorities, the bus had Botswanan license plates. The nationalities of the passengers are yet to be confirmed.

Transport Minister Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga, who visited the site during the day, promised a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident.

South Africa has the most developed road network on the continent, but is one of the worst performers in terms of road safety.

Earlier in the day, President Cyril Ramaphosa called on South Africans “Do your best to make sure the Easter holidays are safe”. “Easter should not be a time where we wait for the statistics of accidents or injuries on our roads”He gave the order in a press release a few hours before the accident.