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Chaos on the M1: Bus Fight Sparks Six-Car Pile-Up in Johannesburg

Published

2 months ago

July 28, 2025

Chiraag

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A passenger grabbed the wheel. A bus veered off track. And six cars ended up in a heap.

Johannesburg’s M1 highway turned into a nightmare for Monday morning commuters when a bizarre and dangerous fight on a moving bus led to a six-vehicle pile-up and gridlocked traffic that stretched for hours.

It all started near the Booysens Road off-ramp, just as the city was easing into the start of the workweek. According to the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), a passenger on the southbound bus allegedly became involved in a heated argument with the driver and, in an act that still has people in shock, reportedly grabbed the steering wheel mid-journey.

What happened next was mayhem.

The driver lost control, and the bus swerved wildly across the central median, crashing into multiple vehicles on the northbound side of the highway. Six cars were involved in the collision, and while several people were injured, JMPD confirmed that, miraculously, no fatalities had occurred.

“Who Grabs a Steering Wheel?”

South Africans react to the chaos and ask the obvious question.

Social media lit up as news of the incident spread. Many users couldn’t wrap their heads around how something so reckless could happen in peak-hour traffic.

“Who grabs a steering wheel on a moving bus?!” one Twitter user wrote, echoing the disbelief of thousands.
“We joke about taxi drivers but this is next level,” another added.

Others expressed concern about safety on public transport and called for stricter measures to protect both passengers and drivers from altercations that could put dozens of lives at risk.

Highway Closed, Then Gridlock

The M1 was shut down. Motorists were trapped. The city stood still.

The crash forced emergency services to close off the affected section of the M1 near Booysens Road, bringing traffic to a complete standstill. Motorists were stuck for hours, and JMPD had to redirect drivers via Crownwood Road and Xavier Street. The highway has since reopened, but the ripple effects were felt deep into the afternoon.

The incident has sparked renewed calls for improved conflict management on public buses and better emergency training for drivers.

A Bad Week on SA Roads

Tragedy in KZN serves as a sombre backdrop.

The Joburg incident comes just days after another tragic road accident in KwaZulu-Natal. A pregnant mother and her two young sons were hit by a car while walking home along the N2 near Amatikulu. The boys, aged six and ten, died on the scene. The mother was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

IPSS Medical Rescue described the scene as horrific and urged drivers to be more alert, especially near pedestrian areas.

What Now?

As the city recovers from the chaos, questions linger. Should more be done to protect drivers from passenger interference? Are public transport vehicles equipped to handle mid-transit crises?

One thing is clear: Joburg’s roads have seen too much heartbreak lately. And the scars left behind by careless moments and unchecked conflict run deeper than the wreckage.