29 killed in South Africa bus accident

Pretoria – At least 29 people were killed and dozens injured in a collision between a bus and a truck in South Africa Monday night, media reported Tuesday.

The truck driver attempted to avoid a stationary bus on Route M! oloto in Mpumalanga province and collided with an oncoming bus from Pretoria, reported Xinhua citing the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

Kwaggafontein, where the accident took place, is about 100 km from Pretoria.

While 26 people died on the spot, three others succumbed to their injuries in hospital, the report said.

Safety department officials said 11 of the injured were in critical condition and receiving treatment.

Route Moloto is notorious for deadly collisions. More than 600 buses carry about 50,000 people from Mpumalanga to work in Pretoria everyday along the narrow and potholed road.

Road accidents have become one of the biggest killers in South Africa in recent years. In June 2012, a bus with 70 passengers plummeted off a bridge in Gauteng province, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens more.