A terrifying armed attack on a cross-border bus traveling from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe has left two passengers dead and several others traumatized. The incident happened on Wednesday night along the N1 freeway in Limpopo, just before the Nyl Plaza tollgate near Mokopane.
According to reports, the 42-year-old driver was transporting 54 passengers when two men seated at the back of the bus suddenly pulled out guns and began threatening passengers. Chaos erupted as some passengers tried to fight back, but the gunmen opened fire, killing a man believed to be in his 30s and a young woman around 25 years old.
After the shooting, the attackers robbed passengers of cash and mobile phones before escaping into another vehicle that had been following the bus. Shocked passengers were left to comfort one another as emergency services arrived at the bloody scene.
Images circulating online showed a heartbreaking moment where a small child clung to the body of her lifeless mother inside the bus.
Police have launched an intense manhunt for the suspects, with a dedicated task team assigned to the case. Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe condemned the attack, calling it a brutal act of violence against innocent travelers.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the suspects or the getaway vehicle to contact the police immediately.
This tragic incident adds to growing concerns over violent attacks targeting buses, including previous robberies and shootings involving tourists and cross-border travelers in South Africa.