A devastating bus accident in northern South Africa has resulted in the deaths of at least 42 people, with 49 others sustaining injuries, according to authorities. The incident occurred on Sunday evening around 6 p.m. on the N1 highway near Louis Trichardt, approximately 400 kilometers north of Pretoria. The bus, which was en route to Zimbabwe, veered off the road and plunged down a steep embankment. Among the victims were seven children, 17 men, and 18 women. Six individuals are in critical condition, while 31 others have serious injuries and have been transported to various hospitals. A critically injured child was airlifted for urgent medical care. Rescue operations continued late into the night, with images showing the blue bus overturned and rescuers working diligently to locate victims. The bus was carrying Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals returning to their home countries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences, noting the tragedy occurred during the country’s annual transport month, which emphasizes road safety. This incident follows a similar bus crash in Limpopo province last year, which claimed 45 lives. The AP Africa news team reported the details from Cape Town.