JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and 71 others wounded in a bus accident early Monday morning near Bloemfontein, South Africa's judicial capital, local media reported.
The bus, which had a trailer attached, overturned with 70 passengers on board, said Sipho Towa, chairperson of the Road Accident Management Systems.
The bus was reportedly traveling from South Africa's Cape Town to Zimbabwe when the accident took place.
The injured have been transported to hospitals, according to a local emergency service company, which responded to the scene at around 1:20 a.m. local time (2320 GMT Sunday).
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident, said Towa.
South Africa has in recent months recorded a series of deadly bus crashes. On Oct. 12, an overloaded passenger bus traveling from Eastern Cape Province to a neighboring country overturned in Limpopo Province, killing 43 people, including seven children.
Authorities blame the recent road accidents on driver fatigue, excessive speed, drunk driving, unsafe pedestrian conduct, and poor vehicle conditions. ■