They were on their way for special Easter worship, going from Gabarone, Botswana, to a church in Moira, Limpopo Province, but the bus carrying 45 people crashed while crossing the Mma Matlakala Bridge between Marken and Mokopane in the northern province of Limpopo, South Africa about 200 miles north of Johannesburg. All but one aboard were killed.
An 8-year-old child survived though she sustained serious injuries. The announcement came from the Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety.
“According to reports, the driver lost control, and the bus fell onto a rocky surface some 50 meters [164 feet] under the bridge and caught fire,” read the Facebook announcement.
The rescue teams found a gruesome sight when they responded; some of the victims’ bodies “were burned beyond recognition,” while other bodies were “trapped inside the debris and others scattered on the scene.”
“I am sending my heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the tragic bus crash near Mamatlakala. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time,” Minister Chikunga Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). “We continue to urge responsible driving at all times with heightened alertness as more people are on our roads this Easter weekend.”
“We want really to extend our heartfelt condolences to the families but also to the government of Botswana and to the people of Botswana and as South Africa we will try everything to assist so that they go back to their country and families to be buried with dignity,” said Minister Chikunga, per the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
