Cabinet disappointed by alleged stolen ARVs found after bus accident

Zuko Komisa

A cross-border bus crash in Limpopo exposed an alleged smuggling operation of ARV drugs and other prescription medicines destined for Zimbabwe.
The medication is suspected to have been stolen from South African public healthcare facilities, leading to a police investigation.
The South African Cabinet has expressed disappointment and confirmed the bus lacked proper authorisation to transport the pharmaceuticals.

A recent bus crash on the N1 North in Limpopo, en route to Zimbabwe, has exposed an alleged operation involving the smuggling of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and other prescription medicines.

The incident, which saw the cross-border bus overturn, has sparked a police investigation and drawn stern condemnation from the South African Cabinet.

The ARV drugs and other prescription medications, which became part of the wreckage following the crash in Makhado, Limpopo, are suspected to have been illegally obtained from South African public healthcare facilities.

The bus was reportedly travelling from the Eastern Cape and was carrying citizens of both Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, addressed reporters in Pretoria, stating that the Cabinet is profoundly “disappointed” by the discovery of the ARV drugs at the accident scene.

She confirmed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) is actively investigating the alleged theft of the medication

Further complicating the matter, it has been established that the bus did not possess the necessary approved documentation for the transportation of medicines. As investigations continue, authorities are probing the full extent of this alleged illicit cross-border movement of essential medication.