The accident took place on Saturday at 12h00 near Thaba Nchu.

Company spokesperson, Thando Lepele, said in a statement on Monday that according to preliminary investigations and eyewitnesses, the bus driver had made a u-turn on the N8 highway when a 22-seater taxi crashed into the bus.

Lepele said the u-turn “was made with the intention to enter Selosesha and that led to the accident”.

Interstate Bus Lines confirmed that the one person who died at the scene was a passenger in the taxi, and the other passengers in the 22-seater Iveco Taxi that were injured were attended to at different hospitals in the area.

“Some have been discharged and some are still at the hospitals (five passengers are at Botshabelo Hospital and six passengers at Pelonomi Hospital). None of the injured passengers are critical.

“Most of the 50 passengers who were in the bus only sustained minor injuries.”

According to the statement, the bus driver has been suspended and the company was busy with an accident investigation.

Lepele added: “We have visited the injured passengers at the hospitals and we wish to apologise to our valued commuters and other road users for the inconvenience caused during this unfortunate accident and we assure our commuters that we prioritise their safety at all times.”

ANA