Limpopo transport officials intercepted two overloaded buses from Zimbabwe on the N1 near Polokwane on Friday morning. Image credit Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety
Limpopo transport officials have stopped two overloaded buses travelling from Zimbabwe on the N1 near Polokwane. The buses carried 65 passengers who had no passports. With the Zimbabwe buses intercepted on Friday morning, officials found that 28 of those passengers were children.
Officials escorted the buses to the Polokwane weighbridge for inspection. Immigration officials and police K9 units then joined the operation. They checked the passengers’ documents and searched the vehicles.
In total, the two buses carried 178 passengers, well above their legal limits.
What officials found on the Zimbabwe buses intercepted
The first bus has a permit for 75 passengers, but it had 88 people on board. Officials found that 15 of them had no passports, including six children and nine adults. The bus also carried 1 080 kilograms too much weight on its front axle. As a result, officials gave the driver a fine on the spot.
The second bus has a permit for 74 passengers, but it carried 90. Of those, 50 had no passports, including 28 adults and 22 children.
Department spokesperson Mashudu Mabata said police will charge and detain both drivers under Section 42 of the Immigration Act. This section makes it a crime to help someone enter or stay in South Africa illegally. It also covers anyone who transports them.
However, officials have not yet explained how the buses got so far into the country. Buses from Zimbabwe usually cross at the Beitbridge border post, about 200 kilometres north of Polokwane. Officials have also not said what will happen to the 65 passengers, including the children.
The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety strongly condemned the violations. It pointed out that they happened during October Transport Month. During this month, MEC Nakedi Kekana is leading a drive for safer public transport. The department warned that anyone who breaks the law will face the consequences. It also described road safety as a shared responsibility.
Overloading puts lives at risk, especially on long routes. Extra weight strains brakes and tyres and makes buses harder to control. Over the years, several long distance buses from Zimbabwe have crashed on the N1, with deadly results.
The interception also comes amid growing concern about how easily people cross South Africa’s borders. On Thursday, investigators arrested a Border Management Authority official at the Maseru border post with Lesotho. Officials say they found him with 22 Lesotho passports carrying fresh stamps. However, the owners never came to the border. In addition, migration has become a heated national issue since a Constitutional Court ruling on asylum seekers sparked protests in several cities.
Meanwhile, commentary across social media platforms has reacted with alarm. Many users have questioned how the buses passed through the border. They are calling for a full investigation. Others have raised concern about the safety of the children on board.
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