At least 45 people were killed on Thursday (March 28) after a bus transporting worshippers plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass, according to South African officials.
Only one person escaped death,an 8-year-old girl who was airlifted to hospital in a serious condition.
The bus crashed into flames after veering off the Mmamatlakala bridge and falling 50 metres into a ravine, according to the provincial administration of Limpopo.
It is believed by the authorities that the bus was heading to the village of Moria, which is known for an Easter pilgrimage, from adjacent Botswana.
The driver appeared to have lost control and was among the deceased, according to reports.
Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga visited the disaster scene, she declared that an investigation into what caused the accident is under way.
She was in Limpopo for road safety campaigns and changed plans to visit the accident scene.
The president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has conveyed his condolences to the government of Botswana and the families and friends of the deceased.
Search operations were continuing at the site, but many bodies were burned beyond recognition and were still trapped inside the vehicle.
South Africa has one of the African continent’s most developed road networks, it also has one of the worst safety records.
A few hours before the crash, Ramaphosa had appealed to South Africans to take care when travelling during the Easter holidays.
“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 had said in a statement.
