Cape Town – A dangerously unroadworthy bus travelling from Malawi to Gauteng was intercepted on the N1 highway near Polokwane, raising serious concerns about cross-border road safety.
According to IOL, the vehicle was stopped during a routine compliance check by officers from the Polokwane Traffic Control Centre (PTCC).
Traffic officials discovered that the bus was operating with a copied licence disc that did not match the vehicle identification number and that its formal operating licence had expired on 31 July 2025.
The situation became even more alarming when officers found that two wheels on the driving axle were missing, making the bus unroadworthy and putting both passengers and other road users at risk.
ย The vehicle was also overloaded beyond its safe capacity.
๐จ๐ก๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ช๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ก ๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ก ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฃ๐ข
A bus travelling from Malawi to Gauteng was removed from the road after being found to be unroadworthy during a routine inspection on the N1 near Polokwane, Limpopo, on Mondayโฆ pic.twitter.com/LtM3cKlrFx
โ Limpopo Chronicle (@LimChronicle) January 20, 2026
As stated by Limpopo Department of Transport spokesperson Matome Taueatsoala, โThis vehicle should never have been on our roads in this condition. It posed a serious danger to everyone travelling on the N1.โ He added that both the driver and the bus operator are facing investigation and potential legal action.
The Citizen reported that provincial authorities are committed to ensuring stricter enforcement on national highways and that ongoing operations will continue to identify unsafe and non-compliant vehicles. Members of the public were urged to report any suspicious or unsafe vehicles through the provincial toll-free line.
This interception follows a pattern of road safety concerns involving cross-border buses. In December 2025, authorities stopped another bus near Polokwane that was found to be severely overloaded with 117 passengers, far exceeding its legal capacity of 65 seats.
Traffic officials continue to stress that adherence to vehicle safety regulations is critical in preventing accidents that could lead to injuries or loss of life.
Stricter inspections and enforcement measures will remain a priority for the Limpopo department.
๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ, ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ค๐ฐ๐๐ง๐.
A 65โseat cross-boader bus was stopped on the N1 bypass adjacent to PeterโฏMokaba Stadium after officers observed a severe overload.
The vehicle was carrying 117 occupants โ 1โฆ pic.twitter.com/Mk5ez7Zpg3
โ Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) December 18, 2025
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
