‘We Just Wanted to Go Home’: Horror Attack on N1 Bus Stuns SA and Zimbabwe Travellers

A late-night bus trip meant to shuttle families and workers from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe turned into a nightmare on Wednesday when gunmen opened fire inside the vehicle, killing two passengers and robbing others. The attack happened just before 10pm on the N1 in Limpopo, about eight kilometres before the Nyl Plaza tollgate near Mokopane.

What has shocked South Africans even more are the images now circulating online: a young child clinging to her mother’s bloodied body, and the lifeless form of a male passenger sprawled between seats while paramedics crowd the bus.

How the Attack Unfolded

The bus, a Volvo 60-seater, left the Power House station in Johannesburg with 54 passengers. Along the way, the driver picked up more travellers in Midrand and Pretoria a common practice on cross-border routes, especially ahead of pay weekends and school holidays.

According to Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, two men seated at the back drew firearms mid-journey and aimed them at passengers. A man in his early thirties attempted to wrestle one of the guns away, and others tried to intervene. Shots rang out inside the bus. The man who intervened was killed, as was a woman believed to be around 25.

Moments later, passengers were forced to surrender their phones and cash. An unknown getaway vehicle, which witnesses say had been trailing the bus, pulled up behind them, and the attackers fled into the night.

Police Response and Manhunt

The South African Police Service has opened two murder dockets and a case of armed robbery. Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has assigned a specialised task team to hunt down the suspects. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Sergeant Matsipi Makwela on 076 786 1447, SAPS Crime Stop on 08600 10111, their nearest station, or the MySAPS app.

A Route Growing More Dangerous

Cross-border buses are lifelines for thousands of Zimbabweans working in South Africa, transporting people, groceries, remittances, and school supplies between families split by the economic crisis across the border. These buses often travel long distances at night to reach Beitbridge early in the morning.

But Wednesday’s attack has revived conversations about safety on highways. On social media, Zimbabwean travellers expressed fear and anger, with some saying they might avoid nighttime travel altogether. South Africans, meanwhile, are questioning police visibility on major national routes.

This is not the first time buses have been targeted. In December 2023, a group of tourists including Germans, Brits, Poles, and an American were robbed at gunpoint in the North West while travelling in a tour bus on the R556 near Mooinooi. Another incident in the same province that year forced police to increase patrols around routes popular with foreign travellers.

A Traumatic Reminder of Rural Highway Crime

Wednesday’s ambush has stirred memories of taxi and bus attacks that plagued some parts of South Africa in recent years. For many in Limpopo, it is also a painful reminder of how isolated stretches of road remain vulnerable, with little lighting, poor camera coverage, and limited police patrols.

Cross-border transport associations have long asked for SAPS escorts along known high-risk routes during peak travel seasons. Some travellers now say they’ll return to flying home but most simply cannot afford it.

What Happens Now?

With no arrests yet, families of the deceased are demanding justice while survivors grapple with trauma and the loss of their belongings. The small child seen in the viral images has become a heartbreaking symbol of the human toll.

As one Zimbabwean radio host said about the tragedy: “These were not just passengers. They were mothers, breadwinners, people trying to get home. We must ask why criminals feel so confident attacking them.”

The investigation continues, but for many who rely on the N1, the road no longer feels like a route home.

{Source: IOL}

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