How overloaded Zim-bound bus travelled 700km through roadblocks from Durban to Polokwane
This Zimbabwe-bound bus (far right) traveled over 700km through multiple provinces and roadblocks before being intercepted at the Zebediela Traffic Control Centre. Despite being certified for only 63 passengers, it was found carrying 82 people, including 10 children.
Image: Supplied
For the second time in less than a week, South Africa’s festive season law enforcement "net" has been exposed as porous. Questions are being raised over how a bus—dangerously overloaded with 82 passengers—managed to travel over 700 kilometers from Durban to Limpopo without being intercepted.
The Zimbabwe-bound bus was finally grounded at 4 am on Sunday, 21 December, at the Zebediela Traffic Control Centre (ZTCC). Despite being certified for only 63 people, it was found carrying 19 extra passengers, including 10 minors.
A Troubling Pattern
This incident is a near-carbon copy of a story reported on IOL News just days ago, involving a Malawi-bound bus that reached Polokwane with 117 passengers on board. That bus had reportedly been stopped in Gauteng, fined, and allowed to proceed—only to pick up more passengers and double its illegal load before reaching Limpopo.
The Durban-to-Zimbabwe route takes a vehicle through KwaZulu-Natal and either Mpumalanga or Gauteng—provinces that currently claim to have "high-visibility" festive season roadblocks in place. Yet, for 700km, the 19 extra passengers remained "invisible" to authorities.
MEC Mathye: "Enforcement Must Start at Source"
Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Violet Mathye, did not hide her frustration at the lack of inter-provincial accountability.
"It is unacceptable for buses to travel from as far as KZN only to be stopped in Limpopo," Mathye said. "Enforcement must start at the source."
The MEC’s statement highlights a growing concern: while Limpopo is acting as the "final filter," the safety of the national road network depends on provinces like KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng actually grounding vehicles at the start of their journey, rather than just issuing fines and letting them continue.
The Zebediela Bust
The Durban bus was just one of several major interceptions during the Sunday morning operation:
Bus B: Traveled from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe with 79 people (9 over the limit).
20+ Other Vehicles: Including light delivery vehicles and trucks with unroadworthy trailers.
This bus, traveling from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe, was intercepted at the Zebediela Traffic Control Centre carrying 79 occupants—nine more than its legal limit of 70. Among the passengers were 12 minors who were being transported in the dangerously overcrowded vehicle.
Image: Supplied
The Question of "Selective Enforcement"
The recurring nature of these incidents—specifically involving cross-border "Malayisha" operators—is sparking public debate. If a bus is heavily overloaded, it is visually obvious to any trained officer. The fact that these vehicles are passing through multiple "blue light" zones suggests a breakdown in the system that goes beyond simple negligence.
As Limpopo officials continue to mop up the safety risks exported from other provinces, the pressure is mounting on national transport authorities to explain why the "roadblock net" only seems to tighten once a vehicle reaches the Limpopo border.
IOL News