At least nine people have been killed and others injured after a bus they were travelling in overturned in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province, the authorities and the local media said on Sunday.
“The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport bemoans the tragic passing of nine people in a bus accident that was ferrying African National Congress (ANC) supporters in Paulpietersburg under eDumbe Local Municipality in Zululand,” a statement said.
“The bus accident is confirmed to have happened around 05h00 as the bus was traveling back from the ANC’s Mayihlome Rally, which was held in Durban at the Moses Mabhida Stadium,” it said.
“The accident happened about seven kilometers before reaching eDumbe town from R34. The law enforcement team on the scene has so far confirmed nine fatalities,” it added.
The bus was reportedly travelling from the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban where the governing African National Congress party had unveiled its manifesto for a general election scheduled for May.
The party said the passengers involved in the accident were its members from Mpumalanga Province.
“The African National Congress (ANC) has received with profound shock the news of the untimely passing of our members from Mpumalanga Province,” the party said on Facebook.
“Tragically, our comrades were involved in a bus accident in Dumbe, KwaZulu-Natal, in the early hours of the morning while returning from the ANC’s highly successful launch of our election manifesto.”
