A survivor of Tuesday evening’s bus crash near Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, described hearing a loud bang before realising the long-distance bus had overturned and rolled over several times.

The accident occurred just before midnight at the 3 Mile traffic circle on the N1 south, outside Louis Trichardt. Ten passengers were killed, three sustained serious injuries, 21 suffered moderate injuries, and another 21 sustained minor injuries. The traffic circle has been the site of numerous fatal and near-fatal accidents, particularly at night.

The N1 was closed for several hours following the crash to allow emergency personnel to rescue passengers trapped in the wreckage and clear the scene. The injured were taken to Louis Trichardt and Elim hospitals for treatment.

The bus, en route to Johannesburg from Zimbabwe, was reportedly travelling at high speed when it collided with the traffic circle island at the Elim/N1 turn-off. The driver, who was new to the job and unfamiliar with the area, lost control, causing the bus to overturn. The cause of the accident is under police investigation.

One of the injured passengers, Ms Sazini Masuxu from Shangani Village in Zimbabwe, was still in hospital on Wednesday when visited by the newspaper. She described the chaos when the bus overturned.

“We heard a big bang and then realised the bus had overturned. It rolled several times, and some passengers were thrown out,” she said. “There was a huge cloud of dust, and we couldn’t see what was happening. I strongly believe we were saved by the grace of God.” Masuxu sustained head injuries and fractured her left hand and foot. “This is the most horrible experience of my life,” she added.

Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Ms Violet Mathye, visited the victims at Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital with Makhado Mayor Dorcus Mboyi on Wednesday. Mathye expressed sadness over the deaths of the ten passengers.

“We are here as a government because we know these are difficult times for the families. This is no longer a family tragedy but a national tragedy,” Mathye said. She added that the government was concerned about the rising number of road accidents. “This is a serious concern as more innocent lives are lost on our roads. All stakeholders need to come together and work with the government to develop initiatives aimed at decreasing fatalities.”

Makhado Mayor Cllr Dorcus Mboyi also expressed condolences to the victims' families. She said they were shocked to learn about the accident and emphasised that the government was worried about the increasing number of accidents. “It is very difficult to continue with everyday life after such a traumatic experience, and the families need support,” she said.

At the time of going to press, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa, was due to visit the scene of the accident on Thursday (today).