An official investigation has named brake failure and speeding as the causes that led to the devastating bus crash in Limpopo, which claimed forty-three lives. The preliminary report, presented to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, points the finger squarely at a lethal triad of brake failure, excessive speed, and severe overloading as the cause of the October 12th tragedy.
The bus, operated by Zimbabwe’s DNC Coaches, was travelling from Gqeberha to Harare with a multinational group of passengers when it plunged down an embankment on the N1 highway near Makhado. The vehicle was carrying individuals from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, many of whom were returning home after a period in South Africa.
Brake Failure And Speeding Named As Causes In Fatal Limpopo Bus Disaster
The technical investigation uncovered a horrifying state of disrepair. The bus and its trailer were found to have only five of their ten brakes in working order, with one brake unit on the bus described as completely useless. The situation with the trailer was even more dire, with investigators confirming that none of its four brakes were operational at all. Compounding this, the trailer’s suspension was found to have been poorly repaired, making the entire unit unstable.
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Regarding the driver’s actions, the report stated that he was not entirely oblivious to the dangers. It was noted that he had some awareness of the mechanical defects. However, this knowledge proved tragically insufficient as he commenced his descent down the mountain pass. Investigators concluded that he proceeded “too fast for the conditions,” a decision that sealed the fate of those on board.
DNC Bus Revealed To Have Been Overloaded
The scale of the tragedy was magnified by the sheer number of people crammed into the vehicle. The bus was licensed to carry sixty-two passengers, but on that fateful day, it was transporting ninety-one souls. The trailer hitched to the bus was also filled to capacity with luggage, adding to the gross weight and instability of the vehicle.
Heartbreakingly, eleven of the passengers were young children aged between three and five years old. The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) confirmed the final, grim tally: forty-three deceased, thirty-four with serious injuries, and six with minor injuries. A further eight people left the scene before their details could be taken.
Accountability and a Push for Stricter Enforcement
In the wake of these findings, the South African authorities are pursuing multiple lines of accountability. Minister Creecy has directed that a culpable homicide complaint be formally considered against the DNC Coaches company itself. She stated,
“The RTMC will complete a final technical reconstruction report within 21 weeks, which will include checks on weighbridges and the roadworthy certification process.”
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A significant focus of the ongoing probe will be to uncover how such a decrepit vehicle was ever deemed fit for the road. Minister Creecy has ordered authorities to “trace the testing centre that issued the bus’s roadworthy certificate.” Furthermore, she has commanded that law enforcement step up border checks and conduct immediate roadworthy inspections on all DNC Coach vehicles entering South Africa.
RTMC’s traffic police units have been instructed to focus enforcement efforts on heavy vehicles that ignore warning signs, particularly on dangerous downhill sections of national roads.
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The post Brake Failure And Speeding Named As Causes In Fatal Limpopo Bus Disaster appeared first on iHarare News.
