Twelve people were killed and four left in a critical condition when a tour bus overturned near Kroonstad on Monday, Free State police said.
Captain Rosa Benade said 35 people were treated for serious injuries on the accident scene and moved to the Boithumelo and Kroon hospitals. ”Four individuals are still critical and were admitted to ICU [the intensive-care unit].”
The bus driver was identified as one of the four.
Benade said the bus overturned near the Rooiwal turnoff on the N1 highway between Kroonstad and Koppies at about 1am. There were 71 passengers on board.
According to police, a number of passengers were also treated for less serious injuries on the scene.
Benade said the cause of the accident was not yet known but preliminary investigations indicated that the right front tyre might have burst.
”According to passengers, they were all asleep and do not know what happened.”
The bus was apparently en route to Johannesburg from the Eastern Cape via Klerksdorp and Roodepoort. — Sapa