Bus crashes off N1 near Makhado, Limpopo, at least 42 dead

At least 42 people died and dozens were injured when a long‑distance passenger bus veered off the N1 highway and plunged down an embankment in a mountainous stretch near Makhado, in South Africa’s Limpopo province, on Sunday evening, provincial authorities said. The vehicle was travelling north from Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape, toward destinations in Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba confirmed the death toll on Monday and said most victims were Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals returning home. Emergency services recovered the deceased from the wreckage and transported survivors to hospitals in the area. The provincial government and transport officials said rescue teams worked into the night to extricate victims from under and inside the overturned blue bus.

Initial casualty reports varied. The national Transport Ministry said 49 passengers were injured, including six in critical condition and dozens with serious injuries, while other officials described the number of injured more generally as several dozen. The ministry provided a breakdown of the deceased as 18 women, 17 men and seven children, and Limpopo Transport MEC Violet Mathye said a 10‑month‑old...