Death toll climbs as 22 miners die in R572 head-on collision
A head-on collision between a bus and truck will form part of an investigation following the death of 22 miners who were en route to the Venetia Mine.
LIMPOPO – A total of 22 people died in a horrific head-on collision between a truck and a bus on the R572 near Musina.
The collision occurred around 16:00 when a bus transporting Venetia Mine workers and a truck collided, killing both drivers instantly.
Read more: VIDEO: More than 20 miners dead in R572 incident
Emergency services personnel were on the scene within minutes and had to apply mechanical jaws to retrieve the injured and the bodies of the deceased from the bus, which had caught fire.
Four persons were taken to hospital for treatment.
Transport MEC Florence Radzilani said she is worried about the increasing reckless behaviour of motorists on the region’s roads.
She conveyed her condolences to the family, loved ones and friends of the deceased. She cautioned motorists to reduce speed and avoid overtaking unnecessarily.
“It is not acceptable that every day, we wake up to the sad news of people killed by reckless drivers who have no regard for the law. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the horrific crash. We hope other drivers will learn from this and work together to reduce fatal crashes on our roads.”
Visiting the scene on Monday, she said the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Venetia Mine in the meantime issued a statement say the bus was transporting Murray & Roberts employees travelling to the mine.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives, and those who were injured and in any way impacted by this tragic accident. Our focus is on providing the necessary support to our employees and their families during this very difficult time”.
The incident is currently under investigation and further details will be provided at a later stage.
