The identification process of the 43 people who lost their lives in the tragic N1 Louis Trichardt bus accident is continuing at Tshilidzini Hospital. The bus, which was travelling from the Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe, veered off the Zoutpanesburg mountain on Sunday, 12 October 2025, carrying 91 passengers.
Of those on board, 43 died at the scene, 40 were hospitalised, and eight self-discharged shortly after receiving medical attention.
As of Tuesday, 14 October 2025, 17 families have arrived at Tshilidzini Hospital to identify their loved ones. The identification process will continue on Wednesday, 15 October 2025, to allow more families to participate.
The Victim Identification Team has photographed all the deceased to assist in the process, and families searching for missing relatives are being urged to visit the hospital. The team has also begun collecting fingerprint sets from the victims, with post-mortem examinations expected to be completed by Wednesday.
Authorities from Zimbabwe and Malawi are assisting by comparing fingerprints on their side, as several of the deceased reportedly did not have identification documents. The process is expected to take time to ensure that every body is correctly identified before repatriation to the respective families for burial and closure.
Meanwhile, 19 patients have been discharged from Siloam, Louis Trichardt Memorial, and Elim hospitals and have since reconnected with their families in Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing. The South African Police Service (SAPS) is probing possible culpable homicide, while the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) is finalising a technical report to determine the cause of the crash.
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