By A Correspondent- A bus travelling from Cape Town to Zimbabwe, with 101 passengers, was detained close to Polokwane, Limpopo, on Tuesday.

According to transport officials, the bus was overloaded by 40 passengers.

Mike Maringa, Limpopo’s transport and community safety department spokesperson, said traffic officers intercepted the bus just outside Polokwane and impounded it for overloading.

He said:

The bus was carrying over 100 passengers, which is 40 more than it is expected to carry.

The driver/bus owner must arrange alternative transport for the passengers. They will remain at the weighbridge until a relief is sorted.

A week ago, Limpopo’s transport and community safety MEC, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, launched the provincial road safety campaign ahead of the festive season. Said Lerule-Ramakhanya:

We will impound any public transport that does not conform to the rules and discontinue where necessary. Public transport operators must be preoccupied with the safety of their customers ahead of profits.

She said they were expecting national traffic police to descend to the province, to assist with compliance and visibility.

Lerule-Ramakhanya added that the teams from national are expected to be in the province from Tuesday next week until 10 January.

The intervention is premised on reducing fatal accidents on roads that usually go up during festive seasons.-news24