By Ragheema Mclean
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has expressed her condolences to the families of the 16 people who lost their lives in a bus crash on the N1 near Touws River in the Western Cape.
According to the Department of Transport, the bus was carrying 78 passengers from Cape Town to Idutywa in the Eastern Cape when it overturned in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Department spokesperson Collen Msibi said 20 passengers sustained injuries and are receiving medical treatment.
The crash marks the second fatal bus accident in the country this week. On Wednesday, a bus transporting Malawian nationals to the Beitbridge border in Limpopo overturned, claiming the life of the driver.
Msibi confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the crash has been ordered, with an initial report expected within 48 hours.
“Transport Minister Creecy, as well as the Deputy Minister, have directed investigators to compile the report and provide the necessary support to both the investigators and those who were injured. They have also instructed the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to investigate the cause of the accident,” Msibi said.
Authorities have urged motorists travelling through the area to exercise caution, remain patient, and expect delays as emergency response and recovery operations continue at the crash scene.
Photo: @SAgovnews/X
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