3 people killed, 70 injured as bus overturns and rolls on N1 near Polokwane in Limpopo
- Three people died while 70 others sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious when the bus they were in overturned
- The accident happened on the N1 North in Matoks, located 40 km outside Polokwane and involved a Scania bus
- The Limpopo transport department has launched an investigation to determine the possible cause of the accident
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POLOKWANE - A bus crash claimed the lives of three people and left 70 others injured after the driver lost control on the N1 North highway in Matoks near Polokwane in Limpopo on Monday.
The accident involved a Scania bus, whose driver was reportedly speeding before losing control, striking an electricity pole, and overturning, according to a News24 report.
Source: Twitter
First responders arrived at the accident scene at approximately 6.30 am and found the bus on the side of the road. IOL reported that an unknown number of passengers milled about while others remained trapped inside the bus amid widespread panic and confusion.
ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said paramedics immediately set up a triage area and began the process of treating patients.
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"On arrival, medical intervention personnel declared two women and one man dead at the scene as nothing could be done for them. A further 70 patients, at least, were assessed, and it was determined that the injuries ranged from moderate to serious," said Meiring.
After being treated, the injured were taken to nearby hospitals, while the Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety looks into the cause of the crash.
The provincial department's MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya said reckless and negligent driving is being cited as a possible cause of the accident. He also sent messages of condolences to the bereaved families.
"We caution drivers to obey the rules of the road, especially public transport drivers as they have the responsibility of transporting thousands of commuters daily," said Lerule-Ramakhanya.
8 Die in head-on collision near Beaufort West
Elsewhere, Briefly News previously reported that eight people lost their lives in yet another festive season road crash that happened on the N1 outside Beaufort West in the Western Cape.
The accident occurred when a VW Polo reportedly collided head-on with a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi before bursting into flames along the route during the mid-morning hours, TimesLIVE reported.
A spokesperson for the police in the province, Sergeant Christopher Spies, said a docket was opened and a case of culpable homicide was being investigated.
"Beaufort West police opened a looking into the fatal accident that occurred between 9 and 10 am. Eight people died in the crash and were declared dead by paramedics on scene," said Spies.
Source: Briefly News
