Phophi Ramathuba: DNC bus that killed 43 people was unroadworthy, overloaded and speeding
Limpopo Premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba has met with families and relatives of the deceased at Siloam Hospital where she extended her condolences and expressed solidarity with those mourning the loss of their loved ones
Image: Screengrab/SABC
Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has described the deadly N1 bus crash that claimed 43 lives as “a preventable disaster” and “an act of criminal negligence,” following revelations that the vehicle was overloaded, unroadworthy and speeding when it plunged down a steep embankment near Louis Trichardt last week.
On Monday, Ramathuba met with the families and relatives of the deceased at Siloam Hospital in the Vhembe District, where she extended her condolences and expressed solidarity with those mourning the loss of their loved ones. Addressing the gathering, she said the tragedy was not an unavoidable act of fate but the result of “lawlessness and greed” within the cross-border transport industry.
The victims — mostly Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals — were travelling home when the bus veered off the N1 North near Louis Trichardt on 13 October, killing 43 passengers and injuring 40 others.
According to a technical report by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the bus was operating without meeting roadworthiness standards, carried passengers beyond its legal limit and was travelling at an unsafe speed along a mountainous route. Ramathuba said such conditions made the tragedy “not just an accident, but a crime against humanity.”
“The government will not allow lives to be lost due to greed, lawlessness and disregard for human life,” she said. “We condemn reckless driving, non-compliance with transport regulations, and the operation of unroadworthy vehicles. The law must take its course, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Ramathuba also commended the emergency services and hospital staff who responded to the scene, saying their swift action saved lives under difficult and dangerous conditions. “Our rescue teams risked their own lives to retrieve bodies and transport survivors to safety. Their commitment gave dignity to the deceased and comfort to the grieving,” she said.
Limpopo Premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba
Image: File
The Limpopo government has partnered with the diplomatic missions of Zimbabwe and Malawi to identify and repatriate the deceased. Forensic teams have completed postmortem examinations and begun DNA testing to ensure accurate identification of remains.
Families of the victims were provided with counselling and logistical support as they began the painful process of identifying their loved ones.
The tragedy has reignited concerns over South Africa’s road safety record and the persistent operation of unsafe, overloaded cross-border buses. Transport experts and activists have long warned that weak enforcement and corruption in vehicle inspections allow dangerous operators to remain on the road, turning long-distance routes into “death corridors.”
For many families, the loss goes beyond the immediate grief — it also means the loss of breadwinners who had been working in South Africa to support relatives in neighbouring countries.
“Every life lost on our roads is a blow to a family, a community, and to our shared humanity,” Ramathuba said.
As the province continues to assist with repatriations and investigations, the premier urged all road users to prioritise safety and accountability.
“Life has no duplicate,” she said.
“Every journey must begin with responsibility. Let us not wait for another disaster to remind us of the value of a single human life.”
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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