Sixteen people died in a bus crash on the N1 highway near Touwsrivier in the Western Cape in the early hours of Thursday.
The bus was transporting 73 people when it overturned.
“Emergency services remain on the scene, providing assistance and managing the incident. A stop-and-go is currently in place. We urge motorists travelling through the area to exercise caution, be patient and expect delays as emergency and recovery operations continue,” Western Cape traffic management chief Maxine Bezuidenhout said.
Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Simon Zwane said the bus was en route to Idutywa in the Eastern Cape.
“It is alleged that the bus swerved to avoid colliding with a delivery vehicle when the driver lost control and the vehicle overturned,” he said.
Twenty people were injured, Zwane added.
The RTMC and the South African Police Service are investigating the incident to establish the cause of the crash.
