Central SA
Cause of Free State bus accident investigated by traffic corporation─── ZENANDE MPAME 06:00 Thu, 06 Mar 2025
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has sent a team of crash investigators to probe the cause of the accident that claimed the lives of ten people on the N6 outside Reddersburg.
Five people were admitted to Pelonomi’s Trauma Unit, while 22 others were admitted to the Stoffel Coetzee Hospital in Smithfield on Wednesday (5/3).
Free State police are investigating a culpable homicide after the bus was travelling from the direction of Reddersburg towards Smithfield, while the truck was heading in the opposite direction.
The collision was a side-swipe head-on impact, claiming the lives of ten people, including a two-year-old, and 27 injured people were hospitalised. The drivers of both the truck and the bus survived the crash.
“An investigation into the cause of the accident and a case of culpable homicide has been opened,” said Free State police spokesperson Motantsi Makhele. “All the deceased are being handled by Forensic Pathology Services in Bloemfontein.”
“Our teams are on the ground now, and we expect a preliminary report of the accident to be ready by the end of the week,” said RTMC chief communication officer, Simon Zwane. “We further urge all road users to exercise extreme caution when travelling in the early hours of the morning. Statistics show that most crashes take place before dawn,” he said.
The Free State Premier, MaQueen Letsoha Mathae, expressed her deepest condolences to bereaved families following accidents that claimed 22 lives in the province this week.
On Monday (3/3), police recovered the bodies of eight people whose vehicle was reportedly swept away by strong water currents in Heilbron. And on Sunday (2/3), four people lost their lives in Warden following a car accident.
“I am mortified to learn about the loss of lives from the three incidents. Road safety remains a priority, and as a government, we are intensifying our efforts to curb road fatalities,” said Mathae.
“These tragic incidents serve as a painful reminder of the job at hand, but also to intensify our road safety awareness campaigns.”
MEC Jabu Mbalula emphasised the importance of taking regular breaks on long trips to avoid fatigue. Picture: Facebook/Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport
The MEC for Community Safety, Roads, and Transport, Jabu Mbalula, emphasised the importance of road safety and reminded all road users to avoid speeding and adhere to posted speed limits, to take regular breaks on long trips to avoid fatigue, and to always wear seatbelts and ensure all passengers do the same.
