The ANC January 8 celebrations in Mbombela will be sombre after five supporters perished in a bus accident on their way to the event.
The five people who died were in a bus that was part of a convoy of three buses that were traveling together to the celebrations.
Preliminary reports suggested that one of the buses crashed into the other causing it lose control and overturn leaving five dead and around 47 with injuries. They have been transfered to a hospital Mopani.
The Limpopo MEC for transport and community safety Florence Radzilani has confirmed the accident to the Sunday World and is rushing to the scene.
This while Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha has abandoned the rally in Mpumalanga and was rushing to the accident scene.
According to Radzilani one of the three buses ferrying ANC supporters rammed into the back of the other bus causing it lose control and overturned.
“It’s true, according to the preliminary reports the indication is that three buses were following each other, the third bus hit the second one from behind and it overturned into a port,” said Radzilani.
“The buses were carrying ANC members from the Molemole sub-region within Capricorn district municipality.”
800 buses, 1 000 taxis heading to Mbombela
The bus is one of the 800 buses an over 1 000 taxis that are expected to ferry ANC supporters to the Mbombela Stadium for the party’s January 8 statement to be delivered by party president Cyril Ramaphosa.
The accident is said to have happened around Magoebaskloof around 3:30am.
“Up to so far according to that preliminary report there were five fatalities, four males and one female. Other passengers sustained injuries and the injured passengers have been transferred to hospitals I’m told in Mopani,” she said.
“I am on my way, I am also rushing to the scene there. According to this preliminary report they are saying the accident happened around 3.30am.”
