South Africa: 8-Year-Old Survives Bus Crash That Killed 45 Easter Pilgrims

A bus crash in South Africa’s northern province of Limpopo left 45 dead, the country’s transport department said on Thursday but added that an 8-year-old miraculously survived. The driver lost control and collided with barriers on a bridge near Mamatlakala, causing the bus to go over the bridge and hit the ground, catching fire.

The bus was taking Easter pilgrims from Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, to Moria, a town in Limpopo, according to a statement by the transport department. The bus fell from a major bridge linking two hillsides near Mmamatlakala in Limpopo, around 300 kilometers north of Johannesburg.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa sent his condolences to Botswana and pledged support to the country, his office said in a statement. “Only an 8-year-old survived the crash and was receiving medical attention at a nearby hospital,” Limpopo’s Department of Transport said in a separate statement.

Some bodies were burned beyond recognition while others were trapped inside the debris or scattered on the scene, the provincial department said. Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga went to the scene of the crash and promised a full inquiry would be held into its cause.

South Africa is known for having one of the worst road safety records, despite having one of the best-developed road networks on the African continent. A few hours before the crash, Ramaphosa appealed to South Africans to take care when travelling during the Easter week.

“Let’s do our best to make this a safe Easter. Easter does not have to be a time where we sit back and wait to see statistics on tragedy or injuries on our roads,” he said in a statement. “This should be a time where each of us evaluates our own attitudes and behaviours and conduct ourselves in ways that build our society and make the country safe for everyone,” he added.