2-month-old among 10 killed in Karoo bus crash

‘These incidents have decreased in recent times since road safety interventions in the strip’

AMONG the 10 people killed when a bus overturned near Beaufort West yesterday was a two-month-old baby.

A Naledi Bus Services bus, travelling from Cape Town to the Eastern Cape, crashed on Aberdeen Road about 50km outside Beaufort West after 2am, killing 10 people and injuring 30 more.

Eight were killed immediately in the crash.

Two more victims died later.

Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said the names of those involved could not be revealed as their next of kin had not yet been informed.

Pojie said a case of culpable homicide was being investigated and no arrests were made.

Preliminary investigations showed the driver of the bus “lost control after allegedly hitting a deer in the road”, Pojie said.

“The bus veered off the road and overturned,” he said.

Seriously injured passengers were taken to the Beaufort West hospital and the George hospital for medical attention.

The driver of the bus was among those seriously injured and was unconscious when emergency services arrived, said Pojie.

Autopsies would be performed on the bodies of the deceased to determine the causes of death.

Transport MEC Donald Grant said the accident “occurred on a stretch of road that had a long history of public transport crashes, claiming lives and injuring many”.

“These incidents have, however, decreased substantially in recent times since the introduction of various road safety interventions in that strip of road which include an Average Speed Over Distance camera enforcement system, and our successful fatigue management law enforcement operations,” said Grant.

He said he asked the department’s officials to assist law enforcement authorities in their investigations.

Grant said they should engage with the bus company involved on matters around general safety and practices, to avoid crashes that may claim the lives of innocent passengers.

The owner of the bus could not be reached for comment as his phone went unanswered.

Picture: RIEKS TOWING TRAGIC: Ten people have died and 30 others were injured when this bus, whose driver apparently lost control after hitting an animal, overturned near Beaufort West after 2am yesterday.