South Africa Bus Accident: 8-Year-Old Girl Sole Survivor, 45

A tragic incident in South Africa has claimed the lives of forty-five people after a bus they were traveling in plunged off a bridge into a ravine. The only survivor, an eight-year-old girl, sustained serious injuries but is now in stable condition.

The bus crashed through a barrier and caught fire upon impact with the ground in Limpopo province, located in the northeast of the country. Despite rescue efforts, only nine bodies have been identified among the thirty-four recovered from the scene.

The passengers were pilgrims on their way from Gaborone, Botswana’s capital, to attend an Easter service in Moria town. The accident occurred on the Mmamatlakala mountain pass between Mokopane and Marken, approximately 300 kilometers north of Johannesburg.

According to Colin Msibi, a spokesperson for the Department of Transport, the surviving girl was ejected from the bus upon collision with the bridge barrier, which likely contributed to her survival.

Rescue operations continued late into the night and resumed the following morning. However, identifying the victims has been challenging due to the severity of the fire, which may have caused body parts to fuse together.

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga extended her condolences to the families affected by the tragedy and pledged government assistance in repatriating the bodies and conducting a thorough investigation into the crash’s cause.

The accident highlights South Africa’s poor road safety record, with Minister Chikunga emphasizing the dangers of the winding and treacherous road where the incident occurred.

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi also expressed condolences to the victims’ families and their church, acknowledging the heartbreaking nature of the crash.

President Cyril Ramaphosa echoed sentiments of sympathy and urged heightened caution on the roads during the Easter weekend, emphasizing the importance of preventing such tragedies through responsible driving.