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272:, and into the ravine, catching fire after impact on a rocky surface about 50 metres (160 ft) under the bridge. The South African Transport Ministry said the driver lost control of the bus, which caused it to collide with barriers and go off the side of the bridge. It was also pulling a trailer, according to rescue workers, adding additional weight. The fire involved gas canisters, which many passengers were carrying to use for cooking. Surviving passengers were trapped in the wreckage but could not be reached quickly by rescuers before they were burnt alive.
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Forty-five people died in the crash. The sole survivor, an eight-year-old girl, was hospitalized with serious injuries. She had been accompanied by her grandmother, who died, and was later reported to be in stable condition, with minor lacerations to her arms, legs, head and back. The driver and
314:
travelled to the scene of the crash, where she called for responsible driving during the Easter weekend and offered thoughts and prayers for the victims' families. She added that the South
African government would assist in repatriating the corpses to Botswana and hold a full inquiry. Botswanan
225:, the largest denomination in southern Africa, is headquartered in Moria and attracts millions of Christians from South Africa and surrounding countries with its annual Easter pilgrimages. The 2024 pilgrimage was the first in the town since the
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urged South
Africans to take caution on the roads during the Easter weekend, stating that the event "does not have to be a time where we sit back and wait to see statistics on tragedy or injuries on our roads."
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Some of the bodies were burned beyond recognition, while others were hard to reach due to debris scattered over the crash scene. One woman died after being airlifted from the scene. As of 29
213:. During the four-day-long Easter weekend in 2023, the country recorded 185 fatal automobile incidents that resulted in 225 fatalities. In a statement made hours before the crash, President
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through the Kloof Pass, a mountainous route that contains numerous tight bends. Initial information suggested the driver had missed the turn-off for the much smoother
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passengers were all citizens of
Botswana. The girl was released on 3 April and repatriated to Botswana by air accompanied by her mother.
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March, 34 bodies had been recovered from the scene, only nine of them identifiable. Autopsies on the victims were conducted on 2 April.
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The bus had a
Botswana licence plate and had been carrying pilgrims from the St. Engenas Zion Christian Church in
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called the incident a catastrophe, and said that he had received a call from his South
African counterpart
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982:"8-year-old lone survivor of South Africa bus crash will be discharged from hospital"
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750:"Botswana pilgrims' families wait in agony after Limpopo bus tragedy that killed 45"
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463:"Bus carrying Easter worshippers falls off cliff killing 45 people in South Africa"
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1133:"In Botswana, 44 victims of an Easter bus crash in South Africa are laid to rest"
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The bus fell off the side of the Mma
Matlakala Bridge, in Mmamatlakala between
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680:"Bus in South Africa plunges off a bridge and catches fire, killing 45 people"
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605:"Girl, 8, Is Sole Survivor of Bus Plunge: 'No One Can Explain This Miracle'"
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950:"Bus accident in South Africa kills at least 45, Transport Ministry says"
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501:"Bus accident in South Africa kills at least 45, Transport Ministry says"
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to update him about the situation. On 2 April, national health minister
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Rescue operations commenced and continued until the late evening hours.
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South Africa has one of the most developed road networks in Africa but
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1223:"It's a miracle that one person survived Limpopo bus crash: Phaahla"
782:"8-Year-Old Survives Bus Plunge Off Bridge That Left 45 People Dead"
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1195:"Eight-year-old survivor of Limpopo bus crash still in hospital"
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1012:"Masisi pledges support to families of Limpopo accident victims"
850:"45 dead as bus plunges from bridge into ravine in South Africa"
816:"Eight-year-old survivor of Limpopo bus crash still in hospital"
425:"South Africa: Girl, 8, only survivor as 45 killed in bus crash"
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On 28 March 2024, a passenger bus crashed near
Mmamatlakala in
1105:"Postmortems on the 45 Limpopo crash victims to start Tuesday"
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713:"Girl, 8, only survivor after South Africa bus crash kills 45"
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185:, the incident occurred when the driver lost control. The bus
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President
Ramaphosa sent condolences to Botswanan President
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Bus plunges from bridge into ravine in South Africa – video
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On 4 May, a mass funeral for 44 of the victims was held in
528:"Bus plunges off South Africa bridge killing 45: ministry"
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Imray, Gerald and
Ntshangase, Nqobile (29 March 2024).
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919:"45 killed after bus plunges off bridge in Limpopo"
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189:and then caught on fire. The bus was transporting
55:5 km (3.1 mi) west from Mmamatlakala,
1040:"Survivor of Limpopo bus crash on her way home"
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602:Eligon, John and Mooka, Yvonne (3 April 2024).
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561:"South Africa bus crash leaves dozens dead"
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1355:April 10: Hub District, Pakistan (truck)
1309:Rochester, New York, United States (car)
1255:(video of the aftermath of the crash by
118:over a bridge resulting in catastrophic
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886:"45 Killed In South Africa Bus Crash"
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183:South African Department of Transport
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423:Chatterjee, Phelan (28 March 2024).
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499:Sishi, Siyabonga (28 March 2024).
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14:
1423:March 2024 events in South Africa
1221:Makungo, Michael (3 April 2024).
1193:Mokoena, Sophie (31 March 2024).
1081:from the original on 1 April 2024
1067:Westfall, Sammy (28 March 2024).
992:from the original on 4 April 2024
848:Badshah, Nadeem (28 March 2024).
814:Mokoena, Sophie (31 March 2024).
711:Smith, Benedict (28 March 2024).
948:Arshad, Minnah (28 March 2024).
884:Bushard, Brian (28 March 2024).
748:Ledwaba, Lucas (30 March 2024).
359:
345:
241:The Mma Matlakala Bridge in 2021
1448:Botswana–South Africa relations
1378:Chitwan District, Nepal (buses)
1349:Mamatlakala, South Africa (bus)
917:Giokos, Heidi (28 March 2024).
640:Imray, Gerald (28 March 2024).
327:and his provincial counterpart
211:one of the worst safety records
177:, the northernmost province of
1433:Road incidents in South Africa
1413:2024 disasters in South Africa
779:Eligon, John (28 March 2024).
461:Cassidy, Amy (28 March 2024).
57:Mogalakwena Local Municipality
1:
1428:Bus incidents in South Africa
1418:2024 road incidents in Africa
1333:Antipas, Philippines (truck)
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1387:
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678:Dev, S. (28 March 2024).
395:Sol Plaatje Dam bus crash
375:Transport in South Africa
23:
390:2018 Chongqing bus crash
36:28 March 2024
1392:Road incidents in 2023
1362:Washuk, Pakistan (bus)
1341:Leipzig, Germany (bus)
1296:Road incidents in 2024
385:2020 Centane bus crash
249:, around an hour from
242:
1317:Golaghat, India (bus)
380:2023 Venice bus crash
240:
223:Zion Christian Church
88:23.97583°S 28.53528°E
1325:Linfen, China (bus)
1074:The Washington Post
718:The Daily Telegraph
367:South Africa portal
130:Driver lost control
93:-23.97583; 28.53528
84: /
52:Regional route R518
1370:Reasi, India (bus)
788:The New York Times
754:The Daily Maverick
611:The New York Times
312:Sindisiwe Chikunga
259:N11 national route
255:regional route 518
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187:went over a bridge
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567:. 28 March 2024.
534:. 29 March 2024.
333:Mokopane Hospital
315:Foreign Minister
308:Mokgweetsi Masisi
227:COVID-19 pandemic
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116:Roadway departure
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1113:. 1 April 2024
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1048:. 3 April 2024
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1141:. 5 May 2024
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1115:. Retrieved
1108:
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1089:– via
1083:. Retrieved
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855:The Guardian
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439:. Retrieved
428:
353:Buses portal
305:
298:, Botswana.
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179:South Africa
172:
107:South Africa
18:
735:Yahoo! News
325:Joe Phaahla
91: /
67:Coordinates
1407:Categories
401:References
296:Molepolole
279:Casualties
247:Molepolole
205:Background
195:Molepolole
148:Passengers
135:Statistics
76:23°58′33″S
40:2024-03-28
1376:July 12:
955:USA Today
820:SABC News
532:The Hindu
302:Responses
79:28°32′7″E
1368:June 9:
1360:May 29:
1347:Mar 28:
1339:Mar 27:
1331:Mar 26:
1323:Mar 19:
1178:29 March
1172:Archived
1085:29 March
1079:Archived
990:Archived
966:28 March
960:Archived
933:29 March
927:Archived
923:BBC News
902:28 March
896:Archived
866:28 March
860:Archived
824:Archived
799:28 March
793:Archived
764:31 March
758:Archived
729:28 March
723:Archived
696:28 March
690:Archived
685:CBS News
658:29 March
652:Archived
622:29 March
616:Archived
578:28 March
569:Archived
542:31 March
536:Archived
512:28 March
479:28 March
473:Archived
441:28 March
435:Archived
430:BBC News
339:See also
266:Mokopane
251:Gaborone
140:Vehicles
48:Location
1443:Limpopo
1389:←
1315:Jan 5:
1307:Jan 1:
1234:8 April
1206:8 April
1167:AP News
1117:8 April
1052:8 April
1024:8 April
996:4 April
986:AP News
830:4 April
647:AP News
506:Reuters
175:Limpopo
164:Injured
104:Country
61:Limpopo
38: (
28:Details
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