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17 October 2025
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Cross-border bus crash near Makhado in Limpopo claims the lives of 44
A cross-border bus crash near Makhado, formerly Louis Trichardt, in Limpopo claimed the lives of 42 people, including a 10month-old baby, on Sunday, 12 October 2025. The vehicle veered off a steep mountain road on the N1 highway, before tumbling down an embankment and landing upside down. Emergency crews worked through the night to pull victims from the wreckage and transport survivors to nearby hospitals. The death toll has subsequently increased to 44.
The vehicle was travelling from Gqeberha in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province to Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba visited the crash site before meeting survivors in hospital. “Losing so many lives in one incident is painful beyond words,” she said, offering condolences to families in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Malawi. The provincial government is providing counselling support to survivors while working with diplomatic missions from Zimbabwe and Malawi to assist bereaved families.
DNC Coaches manager Dennis Jakopo in Gqeberha described the tragedy as a “national disaster” and said the loss devastated the company. Jakopo said the bus left the Gqeberha rank on Saturday around 3pm for a 2 100-kilometre journey to Harare. Malawian passengers were scheduled to transfer to another DNC bus in Harare.
Authorities confirmed that the crash killed 42 people and injured several others who were rushed to nearby hospitals.
Minister Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa release fundings of RTMC investigation into Limpopo bus crash
The Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy and the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa, have officially received a preliminary report regarding a bus crash following an investigation by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
The crash led to a tragic loss of 43 lives and scores of passengers injured on Sunday 12 October 2025 on the N1 North, Limpopo.
The investigation by the RTMC has led to the following findings:
Speeding and unroadworthiness
That a major contributing factor to the cause of the bus crash was the driver of the bus who drove at a speed too high for the conditions down the mountain pass.
During the mechanical investigation, it was also established that the bus and trailer only had five out of the 10 brakes in operational condition and that one brake on the bus had no braking ability. It was established that out of five brakes on the bus, one brake on was not in an operational condition. None of the four brakes on the trailer had been in any operational condition and the suspension had also been poorly repaired.
This means that the bus and trailer only had half of its braking capacity as the other half had not been operational for a long time. Therefore, the bus and trailer were not in a roadworthy condition by virtue of the defective braking system and the poorly repaired suspension of the trailer.
This means that the driver of the bus and trailer was aware of this braking deficiency and had adapted his driving style to accommodate this defect.
Overloading
The investigation established that the bus has a seating capacity to accommodate sixty-two (62) persons, however there were 91 occupants in the bus at the time of the crash. There were 11 children between the ages of three to five years old and if Regulation 231 of the National Road Traffic Regulation 2000 is applied, then two children between the ages of three to six years old shall be counted as one person. This implies that at the time, the vehicle was overloaded by 23 persons.
It has been established that the trailer attached to this Bus was loaded with baggage and personal belongings.
Fatalities and injuries
It has been ascertained that 43 occupants within the bus sustained fatal injuries as a result of this crash. 34 occupants sustained serious injuries and a further six occupants sustained slight injuries. Eight occupants were recorded at the crash scene by first responders and refused any form of medical treatment. They had subsequently left the crash scene and none of their details were recorded.
Weather conditions and road surface
The report indicates that the weather conditions at the time of the road crash were day light and clear with good visibility and is not considered a cause and/or contributory factor to this road crash.
The road surface along the N1 before and after the crash scene was noted as being in good condition and therefore not considered a cause and/or contributory factor to this road crash. The road markings on the N1 are in good condition and have good reflectivity and are not considered a cause and/or contributory factor to this road crash.
There is sufficient signage along the roadway on approach to the downhill to warn drivers to prepare to negotiate the roadway.
Bus route
The bus had travelled from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape enroute to Harare in Zimbabwe and that there were passengers from Malawi, Congo and Zimbabwe on board.
Recommendations
The preliminary report has recommended the following: That law enforcement operations be considered to examine and evaluate the roadworthiness of vehicles that enter South Africa roads as the bus is a foreign registered vehicle. Such inspection could have detected the unroadworthy condition of the bus and the trailer and this crash might not have occurred.
That RTMC's National Traffic Police together with their provincial counterparts concentrate their attention on heavy vehicles that do not adhere to warning signs and do not reduce speed when driving downhill as it is evident that the bus and trailer drove at a speed too fast for the road environment and failed to negotiate the hairpin bend.
That law enforcement operations be considered to examine and evaluate the loads of vehicles as the bus and trailer were heavily overloaded at the time of the crash.
Final technical reconstruction report
The RTMC investigation is still ongoing and it will take 21 weeks to complete the final technical reconstruction report.
The investigation will also look at what happened at the weigh bridges where the issue of overloading was supposed to have been detected.
Minister’s directive to RTMC
Minister Creecy has directed the RTMC to do the following; Investigate the bus company's responsibility in ensuring the roadworthiness of the bus and to further consider a culpable homicide complaint against the bus company in terms of the duties of the operator.
Request the maintenance schedule and service records of this specific bus and to work with the Anti-Corruption Unit to establish which road testing centre issued a roadworthy certificate for the bus and establish if there are any DNC Coach Depots in SA to look at their fleet roadworthy status.
Liaise with Provincial Law Enforcement Authorities to ensure a compulsory roadworthy inspection specifically focussing on the DNC Coach Fleet coming through SA Border Post.
Sources: The South African, SA Department of Transport, Al JaZeera
The vehicle was travelling from Gqeberha in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province to Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba visited the crash site before meeting survivors in hospital. “Losing so many lives in one incident is painful beyond words,” she said, offering condolences to families in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Malawi. The provincial government is providing counselling support to survivors while working with diplomatic missions from Zimbabwe and Malawi to assist bereaved families.
DNC Coaches manager Dennis Jakopo in Gqeberha described the tragedy as a “national disaster” and said the loss devastated the company. Jakopo said the bus left the Gqeberha rank on Saturday around 3pm for a 2 100-kilometre journey to Harare. Malawian passengers were scheduled to transfer to another DNC bus in Harare.
Authorities confirmed that the crash killed 42 people and injured several others who were rushed to nearby hospitals.
Minister Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa release fundings of RTMC investigation into Limpopo bus crash
The Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy and the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa, have officially received a preliminary report regarding a bus crash following an investigation by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
The crash led to a tragic loss of 43 lives and scores of passengers injured on Sunday 12 October 2025 on the N1 North, Limpopo.
The investigation by the RTMC has led to the following findings:
Speeding and unroadworthiness
That a major contributing factor to the cause of the bus crash was the driver of the bus who drove at a speed too high for the conditions down the mountain pass.
During the mechanical investigation, it was also established that the bus and trailer only had five out of the 10 brakes in operational condition and that one brake on the bus had no braking ability. It was established that out of five brakes on the bus, one brake on was not in an operational condition. None of the four brakes on the trailer had been in any operational condition and the suspension had also been poorly repaired.
This means that the bus and trailer only had half of its braking capacity as the other half had not been operational for a long time. Therefore, the bus and trailer were not in a roadworthy condition by virtue of the defective braking system and the poorly repaired suspension of the trailer.
This means that the driver of the bus and trailer was aware of this braking deficiency and had adapted his driving style to accommodate this defect.
Overloading
The investigation established that the bus has a seating capacity to accommodate sixty-two (62) persons, however there were 91 occupants in the bus at the time of the crash. There were 11 children between the ages of three to five years old and if Regulation 231 of the National Road Traffic Regulation 2000 is applied, then two children between the ages of three to six years old shall be counted as one person. This implies that at the time, the vehicle was overloaded by 23 persons.
It has been established that the trailer attached to this Bus was loaded with baggage and personal belongings.
Fatalities and injuries
It has been ascertained that 43 occupants within the bus sustained fatal injuries as a result of this crash. 34 occupants sustained serious injuries and a further six occupants sustained slight injuries. Eight occupants were recorded at the crash scene by first responders and refused any form of medical treatment. They had subsequently left the crash scene and none of their details were recorded.
Weather conditions and road surface
The report indicates that the weather conditions at the time of the road crash were day light and clear with good visibility and is not considered a cause and/or contributory factor to this road crash.
The road surface along the N1 before and after the crash scene was noted as being in good condition and therefore not considered a cause and/or contributory factor to this road crash. The road markings on the N1 are in good condition and have good reflectivity and are not considered a cause and/or contributory factor to this road crash.
There is sufficient signage along the roadway on approach to the downhill to warn drivers to prepare to negotiate the roadway.
Bus route
The bus had travelled from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape enroute to Harare in Zimbabwe and that there were passengers from Malawi, Congo and Zimbabwe on board.
Recommendations
The preliminary report has recommended the following: That law enforcement operations be considered to examine and evaluate the roadworthiness of vehicles that enter South Africa roads as the bus is a foreign registered vehicle. Such inspection could have detected the unroadworthy condition of the bus and the trailer and this crash might not have occurred.
That RTMC's National Traffic Police together with their provincial counterparts concentrate their attention on heavy vehicles that do not adhere to warning signs and do not reduce speed when driving downhill as it is evident that the bus and trailer drove at a speed too fast for the road environment and failed to negotiate the hairpin bend.
That law enforcement operations be considered to examine and evaluate the loads of vehicles as the bus and trailer were heavily overloaded at the time of the crash.
Final technical reconstruction report
The RTMC investigation is still ongoing and it will take 21 weeks to complete the final technical reconstruction report.
The investigation will also look at what happened at the weigh bridges where the issue of overloading was supposed to have been detected.
Minister’s directive to RTMC
Minister Creecy has directed the RTMC to do the following; Investigate the bus company's responsibility in ensuring the roadworthiness of the bus and to further consider a culpable homicide complaint against the bus company in terms of the duties of the operator.
Request the maintenance schedule and service records of this specific bus and to work with the Anti-Corruption Unit to establish which road testing centre issued a roadworthy certificate for the bus and establish if there are any DNC Coach Depots in SA to look at their fleet roadworthy status.
Liaise with Provincial Law Enforcement Authorities to ensure a compulsory roadworthy inspection specifically focussing on the DNC Coach Fleet coming through SA Border Post.
Sources: The South African, SA Department of Transport, Al JaZeera
