Reports indicate that the driver carrying a busload of 86 passengers allegedly ignored warning signs on the R30 road near Allanridge in Free State that cautioned drivers about a flooded stretch of road.
The Intercape bus ended up stuck on a flooded road, trapping 86 passengers including children on board.
The bus which was traveling from Mthatha in the Eastern Cape to Pretoria was rescued by police divers on the R30 route between Allanridge and Bothaville in the Free State.
The bus got stuck near Allanridge in the at around 03:00 on Saturday. The Free State police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng reported that everyone was rescued safely with no fatalities.
Several other vehicles were also stranded on the flooded stretch of road; the bus driver is facing charges of reckless and negligent driving.
Four weeks ago, more than six people lost their lives in severe flash flooding that struck parts of Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. The flood was triggered by heavy downpour which submerged areas of Mthatha, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, and the township of Mdantsane.
