MAKHADO – Grief-stricken families of the 42 passengers who perished in a horrific bus crash near Makhado, Limpopo, are expressing outrage and disbelief after the bus operator, DNC Bus Services, provided conflicting information and failed to offer adequate support in the aftermath of the tragedy. The cross-border bus, travelling from Gqeberha to Zimbabwe and Malawi, plunged down an embankment on the N1 highway, leaving scores injured and families desperate for answers.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has confirmed that speeding and overloading were the primary causes of the devastating accident. The bus, approved to carry a maximum of 60 passengers, was transporting a staggering 91 individuals at the time of the crash.
The families' frustration is compounded by the bus company's apparent lack of transparency and empathy. Relatives of the victims report that DNC Bus Services has failed to provide a comprehensive passenger list or any concrete information about the fate of their loved ones, leaving them in a state of agonizing uncertainty.
Edith Mukuse, whose sister and sister-in-law were passengers on the ill-fated bus, voiced her despair, stating that repeated attempts to contact the company had been fruitless. Mukuse, whose relatives worked on a farm in Patensie, said she was forced to physically visit the bus operator's offices at the Gqeberha Railway Station.
A tearful Mukuse lamented the lack of communication, saying, "What I want to know is the fate of my relatives. We depend on information from the bus operator, but it then baffles me if they fail to inform us. They keep saying they are busy compiling the passenger log." She added that her sister was the breadwinner for her three young children and was building a house in Masvingo, making the tragedy even more devastating.
A Malawian national, who wished to remain anonymous, echoed Mukuse's sentiments, expressing his disappointment with the bus operator's lack of transparency. He had come to check on the whereabouts of two friends who were travelling to Lilongwe, Malawi, carrying groceries and money for his parents. "There's nothing I can say about the behaviour of the bus operators except to demand transparency," he said. "This kind of unprofessionalism should stop."
Adding fuel to the fire, DNC Bus Services manager Danny Jacob initially claimed that the 61-seater bus was not overloaded and that "everything was in order" when it was travelling. He attributed the accident to the area's notorious reputation for accidents and suggested that social media was spreading false information.
Jacob's claims directly contradict Transport Minister Creecy's confirmation of overloading and speeding as the causes of the crash. Creecy also revealed that, in addition to the 42 fatalities, 49 passengers were injured: six critically, 31 seriously, and 12 slightly.
Willard Suwedi, a Malawian passenger who survived the crash, corroborated the claims of overloading, stating that the bus was already full when he boarded in Gqeberha and continued to pick up passengers along the route. He also said that the driver ignored pleas to slow down after the bus began speeding near Makhado.
Another survivor, Tichaona Mukandiona (24), who boarded the bus in East London, said he had to travel while standing because the bus was already full. He was travelling to Harare, Zimbabwe, and lost his belongings and money in the crash.
Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba expressed her condolences, saying, "This is a heartbreaking tragedy. Losing so many lives in one incident is painful beyond words … We extend our deepest condolences to the affected families, including those in Zimbabwe and Malawi. We wish a full and speedy recovery to all survivors."
President Cyril Ramaphosa also conveyed his condolences, calling the incident "a tragedy for South Africa and our sister states of Zimbabwe and Malawi alike." He urged road users, transport operators, drivers, and passengers to prioritize safety and share the roads responsibly.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa pledged to assist in the repatriation of the remains of Zimbabwean citizens and to cover the hospital bills of the injured.
Forensic investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, and the N1 near Ingwe Lodge was closed for several hours as emergency services cleared the wreckage.
As families grapple with the devastating loss of their loved ones, the spotlight remains on DNC Bus Services and their handling of the aftermath. The discrepancies between the company's statements and the accounts of survivors and government officials have only intensified the families' anger and demands for accountability. The tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for transport operators to prioritize the lives of their passengers above all else.
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