Bus crash kills 42 in South African mountain pass

South Africa witnessed a tragic incident which resulted as at least 42 people died when a bus veered off a mountain road in northern South Africa, plunging down an embankment in one of the country's deadliest traffic accidents in recent years.

The crash occurred Sunday, October 12, 2025, along the N1 highway near Louis Trichardt, approximately 400 kilometers north of Pretoria, along a notoriously dangerous mountain pass.

The blue bus, traveling from Eastern Cape province toward Zimbabwe and Malawi with nationals from both countries, landed upside down after leaving the roadway.

Limpopo provincial authorities confirmed multiple survivors were transported to hospitals, though the exact number of injured remains unverified as emergency crews continue recovery operations.

Road Traffic Management Corporation spokesperson Simon Zwane told local media the death toll had reached 42 while identification and casualty counts continued.

The accident highlights persistent road safety challenges along South Africa's major transport corridors, particularly mountain routes frequently used by long-distance coaches carrying migrant workers between neighboring countries.