Rescuers spent Sunday night crawling beneath an overturned blue bus on a steep mountain pass in northern South Africa, looking for anyone still alive. By Monday the Transport Ministry had a count: 42 dead, 49 hurt.
The coach left the N1 highway near Louis Trichardt at about 6 p.m. on October 12, 2025, and dropped down an embankment. The town lies roughly 248 miles (400 kilometers) north of Pretoria. Photos released by the authorities show the vehicle on its roof, with rescue workers reaching in from below.
Who was on board
Passengers were heading home to Zimbabwe and Malawi, the ministry said. Of the dead, 17 were men, 18 were women and seven were children.
Among the injured, six were in critical condition and 31 more had serious injuries. They were spread across several hospitals. One critically hurt child was flown out by air ambulance.
Limpopo’s provincial government said the rescue work ran late into the night. The ministry has not said what caused the crash.
Ramaphosa’s response
President Cyril Ramaphosa sent “his deep condolences to the nations of Zimbabwe and Malawi who have lost compatriots,” according to a statement from his office. He pointed to the timing as well. “This sadness is compounded by the fact that this incident has taken place during our annual transport month, where we place a special focus on the importance of safety on our roads,” Ramaphosa said.
A second Limpopo disaster in two years
This is not the first time a bus has gone off the road in the province with heavy loss of life. Twelve months earlier, 45 people died when another bus left a bridge and fell into a ravine. An 8-year-old girl was the only person to survive. Most of those passengers were Botswana nationals on their way to an Easter church gathering in South Africa.
Sources
- Bus crash in mountainous region of South Africa kills at least 42 people | CNN
- Deadly Bus Crash in Northern South Africa Kills 42, Injures 49 | Межа
