Five passengers lost their lives on Monday afternoon, 1 December 2025, after a bus overturned on the R33 between eMkhondo (formerly known as Piet Retief) and Amsterdam. According to authorities, the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn.
Six passengers sustained serious injuries, while 20 others escaped with slight injuries. The driver is among those injured. Several ambulance services responded to the scene and transported the injured to a nearby hospital in Mkhondo.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, though officials suspect wet road conditions may have contributed. The bus left Johannesburg with 65 passengers on its list; however, a number of passengers got off at various scheduled stops along the route, reducing the total number of people on board by the time it reached Mpumalanga. Only 31 people, including the driver, were on board at the time of the crash—contrary to early reports suggesting the bus was carrying more than 80 passengers.
Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, has urged motorists to adapt their driving to weather and road conditions. "Every driver must prioritize their own safety and that of other road users. Let us save lives by being highly alert and obeying the rules. Long-distance drivers must rest sufficiently along the way," he said.
Macie extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished those injured a speedy recovery.