Following the tragic N1 bus crash near Louis Trichardt, the governments of Malawi and Zimbabwe have stepped in to support the families, promising to pay for all of the victims' medical and repatriation costs.
In a meeting with Limpopo government officials and impacted families at Siloam Hospital, Malawi's High Commissioner to South Africa, Stella Ndau, and Zimbabwean diplomat Shepherd Gwenzi made the announcement.
“The government of Zimbabwe will continue to assist the families of both the deceased and the injured with transport and accommodation until the conclusion of the ongoing processes. We are working with the government of South Africa and the high commissioner of Malawi to ensure that the requirements enabling the repatriation of the deceased for burial in Zimbabwe and Malawi, respectively, are completed within the shortest time frame possible.”
The tragedy occurred on Sunday, October 12, when a bus carrying 91 passengers from the Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe veered off the Zoutpansberg mountains.
According to the office of the Premier of Limpopo, the 44th victim has succumbed to injuries in hospital.
Earlier, on October 17, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa revealed the preliminary findings of the crash investigation conducted by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
The RTMC investigation concluded that the bus crash was primarily caused by speeding and the vehicle’s poor condition. Only five of the ten brakes on the bus and trailer were operational, with one bus brake completely non-functional and none of the trailer brakes working.
The report further revealed that the trailer’s suspension was also poorly repaired, rendering the entire combination unroadworthy.
“This means that the driver of the bus and trailer was aware of this braking deficiency and had adapted his driving style to accommodate this defect.”
The RTMC report also noted that the bus was also significantly overloaded, carrying 91 passengers in a vehicle designed for 62, including 11 young children, and the trailer was loaded with baggage, exceeding safe limits and further contributing to the crash.
The Star
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