12 Die, Many Injured as a Bus overturns and Passengers are thrown onto a Highway in South Africa

A bus overturned on a South African highway on Tuesday, causing passengers to be thrown from the vehicle, resulting in at least 12 fatalities and 45 injuries in Johannesburg, according to emergency services.

Emergency crews worked to lift the bus back onto its wheels to check for any additional victims trapped underneath, said William Nthladi, a spokesperson for Ekurhuleni Emergency Management.

“On arrival, we found patients lying across the road,” Nthladi said. The bodies of some victims were covered with silver blankets on the highway near the overturned bus, while two bodies remained trapped in the wreckage. Personal belongings, including handbags, a lunch box, and a water bottle, were scattered at the scene.

“This is a disaster,” said Andile Mngwevu, a local city councillor present at the scene. “To see so many bodies lying around is quite saddening, and the city really feels for the families who expected to see their loved ones return home later today. Our hearts are extremely heavy right now.”

The crash occurred early in the morning on a highway near Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport. The bus, which had been transporting passengers from the township of Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, was found lying on its side near the edge of the highway.

Emergency personnel confirmed that 12 people were declared dead at the scene. A fire engine, ambulances, and pathology vans were deployed in response. The injuries ranged from serious to critical, with the driver among those transported to the hospital.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, and the cause of the accident has yet to be determined.