An overloaded bus heading across the border has been intercepted in Limpopo carrying almost double its designated limit.
Limpopo police flagged down the bus on Thursday morning, around 5am, along the N1, after which it broke down on the way to the weighbridge near Polokwane.
The incident came a day after a Reconciliation Day public operation that recorded more than one-third of the buses stopped were overloaded.
116 passengers is 65-seater
The heavily overloaded 65-seater bus was spotted near Peter Mokaba Stadium heading north.
While being escorted to the provincial traffic control centre, the bus broke down, where officers were able to count the occupants.
Excluding the driver, officers counted 101 adults and 15 minors, all headed from Gauteng to Malawi.
Bus driver tried to flee
The driver had attempted to flee on foot, but police and traffic officers quickly apprehended him.
Limpopo authorities discovered that the bus had already been pulled over in Pretoria, with the ticket stating that the bus was only carrying 11 excess passengers at the time.
Limpopo provincial government spokesperson Matome Taueatsoala highlighted the October crash near Makhado that claimed the lives of 43 people.
“Overloading in dangerous. We do not want a repeat of that. We are calling on bus companies to cooperate with us. Make sure that your buses are roadworthy and fit to be on the road,” stated Taueatsoala
“The bus will remain at the traffic centre until the excess passengers are removed and the prescribed fine is settled. Further investigations are underway,” stated the Limpopo department of transport.
5 600kg over the limit
On 16 December, Limpopo officials inspected 62 cross-border buses in the space of 12 hours, with 26 found to be overloaded.
The following day, 17 December another bus was found to be carrying almost 100 passengers.
The bus was escorted to the Mantsole Traffic Control Centre weighbridge, where it was found to be in excess of its legal limit by 5.6 tons.
The bus also had a capacity of 65 seats, with Limpopo traffic officials counting more than 90 passengers.
Most of the passengers were women ana children who were also on their way from Gauteng to Malawi.
The bus was found to be unroadworthy, and will remain at the weighbridge, with the operator being forced to arrange alternate transportation for the passengers.
“The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety reminds operators to ensure proper load distribution and vehicle roadworthiness before embarking on journeys,” stated the department.
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