RTMC to probe Mpumalanga bus crash that left eight dead, 46 injured

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has expressed concern over reckless behaviour by SA's drivers.

This comes after a bus overturned in Mpumalanga on Sunday, leaving eight people dead and 46 injured. The incident occurred near Graskop.

It is alleged that the driver lost control of the vehicle as it was going through a mountain pass and overturned on the shoulder of the road. Seven people died on the scene and another died later in hospital.

The injured were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said a team from the corporation, the transport department's agency responsible for road safety, will be working with other law enforcement authorities to investigate the cause of the crash.

Zwane said a team of RTMC crash investigators rushed to Jozini, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, earlier this month following a horror truck accident. In that incident, on June 10, a driver lost control of the truck and crashed into vehicles and pedestrians. Eight people died and 32 were injured.

Zwane said the many avoidable crashes put a strain on the health-care system, which was already overburdened by Covid-19.

"We urge motorists to drive with caution, especially during the winter season. This is the period associated with a high number of crashes because of poor visibility, caused by mist in some parts of the country and veld fires."