Speeding, faulty brakes and overcrowding blamed for deadly Limpopo bus crash that killed 43

Mapaballo Borotho

Devastation in Limpopo as deadly bus plunge kills 42 — Image: @Limpopo Comms and Safety Media

A preliminary report by the Department of Transport has revealed that speeding, mechanical failure, and overloading were the main causes of the Limpopo bus crash that claimed 43 lives.
The bus, which was travelling from Gqeberha to Harare, had only half of its braking system working and was carrying 91 passengers instead of 62.
Authorities confirmed the vehicle was unroadworthy and overloaded, describing the tragedy as both preventable and devastating.

Speeding, a defective braking system, and overcrowding have been identified as the primary causes of the horrific Limpopo bus crash that claimed 43 lives just over a week ago.

The bus was travelling from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape to Harare, Zimbabwe, with passengers from Malawi, Congo, and Zimbabwe on board.

The crash killed 43 people and left several others seriously injured.

Department of Transport spokesperson Collen Msibi said the investigation found that the driver was travelling at a dangerously high speed while descending a mountain pass.

“A contributing factor to the cause of the bus crash was the driver who drove at a speed too high for the conditions down the mountain pass,” Msibi said.

The mechanical inspection revealed that the bus and its trailer had severe braking defects. Only five out of ten brakes were working, and one brake had no braking ability at all. None of the trailer’s four brakes were operational, and its suspension had been poorly repaired.

“This means that the bus and trailer only had half of their braking capacity. They were not in a roadworthy condition due to the defective braking system and poorly repaired suspension,” Msibi added.

The investigation further confirmed that the bus was heavily overloaded. Although it was licensed to carry 62 passengers, there were 91 people onboard at the time of the crash — including 11 children aged between three and five years old.

Applying Regulation 231 of the National Road Traffic Regulation of 2000, which counts two small children as one adult passenger, the bus was still overloaded by 23 people. The attached trailer was also packed with baggage and personal belongings.

Authorities also noted that eight survivors refused medical treatment at the scene and left before their details could be recorded.

The bus was confirmed to be a foreign-registered vehicle.

The Department of Transport said the tragedy underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of cross-border transport regulations and vehicle safety compliance.