Image Source: Sowetan
Local – Following the deadly crash, which claimed the lives of 43 people in Limpopo, the Department of Transport has determined that speeding and poor vehicle maintenance were key factors in the tragedy.
The preliminary report, compiled by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), found that the driver lost control of the bus while descending a mountain pass in Makhado due to excessive speed and mechanical failure.
Investigators confirmed that the bus “drove at a speed too high for the conditions,” making it impossible for the driver to safely negotiate the winding road. The findings showed that critical safety systems had failed before the crash occurred.
According to the Department of Transport, mechanical tests revealed that both the bus and its trailer were in a severely compromised condition. The inspection found that only half of the vehicle’s braking system was working.
“The bus and trailer only had five out of the 10 brakes in operational condition,” the department said. It added that “none of the four brakes on the trailer were operational” and that the suspension had been “poorly repaired.”
The RTMC concluded that the vehicle was unroadworthy long before the crash. It stated that the driver had been aware of the braking defects and may have adjusted his driving to compensate.
“Therefore, the bus and trailer were not in a roadworthy condition by virtue of the defective braking system and the poorly repaired suspension,” the department noted.
Overloaded and Over Capacity
The investigation also revealed that the bus was dangerously overloaded, carrying 91 passengers despite having a legal capacity of only 62.
Among them were 11 children aged between three and five. Investigators noted that “the vehicle was overloaded by 23 persons,” and the trailer was also filled with baggage and personal belongings.
While 43 people died in the crash, 34 others suffered serious injuries, and six sustained minor wounds.
Investigators ruled out poor road conditions as a cause, saying the surface along the N1 “was in good condition and therefore not considered a contributory factor.”
Stricter Vehicle Inspections Recommended
The preliminary report called for tighter enforcement and vehicle inspections, particularly for foreign-registered buses.
It said such inspections “could have detected the unroadworthy condition of the bus and trailer, and this crash might not have occurred.” The RTMC further advised that traffic police focus more on heavy vehicles that ignore speed warnings on downhill routes.
In response, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy directed the RTMC to probe the bus company’s accountability and consider filing a culpable homicide complaint.
She also requested the vehicle’s maintenance and service records and ordered an investigation into how the bus obtained its roadworthy certificate.
The RTMC’s full technical reconstruction report will be completed within 21 weeks. It is expected to shed light on whether negligence or corruption played a role in the devastating crash.
