Six ANC members have died after a bus they were travelling in crashed at Magoebaskloof near Tzaneen in Limpopo in the early hours of Saturday. Picture: Sizwe Ndingane
Six ANC supporters have died after a bus they were travelling in crashed at Magoebaskloof near Tzaneen, Limpopo in the early hours of Saturday. The bus was on its way to Mbombela, Mpumalanga for the party's 112th anniversary celebrations.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the January 8 statement at the party’s rally in Mbombela stadium on Saturday.
Preliminary reports indicated that three buses were following each other when the third bus hit the second bus from behind and overturned into a gorge.
It is understood that the bus rolled about 20 metres down an embankment.
The buses were ferrying ANC members from the Molemole sub-region, within the Capricorn District Municipality in Limpopo.
Reports stated that several passengers sustained injuries, with many of them being transferred to nearby hospitals in the Mopani district.
In an interview with eNCA, the ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane confirmed the deaths and said they were saddened by the tragic incident.
"We lost some of our members who were on their way here... We are quite saddened by that and their attempt to be here will not be in vain," she said.
Mokonyane said some of the party leaders in Limpopo have been excused to attend the matter and ensure that all was well.
“We are saddened but we commit to do better in their memory," she said.
The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety has urged motorists to use alternative roads as the R71 is currently closed.
"The road is currently closed as emergency and rescue personnel are clearing the scene, and further details will be provided in due course," the department said in a statement.
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