[imagesource:twitter/@JCKAUNDA]

In a devastating incident that occured on Sunday afternoon, a bus carrying passengers from Musina to the Venetia Diamond Mine near Alldays collided with a truck on the R572 in Limpopo, resulting in a catastrophic fire that claimed the lives of at least 20 people.

The collision reportedly occurred in a head-on manner, although authorities have yet to confirm that this is the case.

The bus, which was transporting mine workers, became engulfed in flames following the collision and the specifics of the accident remain under scrutiny as the South African Police Service (SAPS) conducts a thorough investigation.

Social media has been flooded with distressing images and videos from the accident scene. One video circulating online shows the bus ablaze, with several lifeless bodies lying on the grass beside the road.

The following clip is not for sensitive viewers.

🔴VIDEO🔴 On Sunday afternoon, a tragic accident unfolded as a bus carrying mine workers en route to Venetia mine was involved in a collision with a truck, resulting in a devastating fire. Regrettably, over 20 individuals have been confirmed deceased at the scene of this horrific… pic.twitter.com/pXbEkkhUPU

— Central News (@centralnewsza) September 18, 2023

Florence Radzilani, the MEC for Transport and Community Safety in Limpopo, expressed condolences and confirmed that more information would be shared once the SAPS had completed its investigation.

Radzilani has announced plans to visit the area today in order to gather firsthand information about the accident and its aftermath. She will be joined by Godfrey Mawela, the Mayor of Musina Local Municipality, and senior management representatives from the Venetia Diamond Mine.

Group spokesperson for the mining company, Ed Jardim, also expressed condolences to the families affected by the fatal accident.

“Our focus now is on providing the necessary support to our employees and their families during this very difficult time. The incident is currently under investigation and further details will be provided at a later stage.”

That being said, many local netizens are expressing that the truck should not have been using Venetia Mine Road to begin with, explaining that there are sectioned off parts of the through-fare that were ignored.

While we wait to see what really happened on Sunday when the fateful crash took place, we hope the investigation will provide closure and justice for the family members and friends of all those lost.

[sources:news24&ewn]