Five arrested for deadly petrol bombing of mineworkers' bus

Five people allegedly linked to the deadly petrol bomb attack on a bus carrying a group of mineworkers in Burgersfort‚ Limpopo‚ have been arrested‚ police said on Wednesday.

Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the group‚ aged between 21 and 30‚ were arrested in different locations in operations over the last two days.

"The five suspects will appear in Mecklenburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday on six counts of murder‚ malicious damage to property and attempted murder‚" said Mojapelo.

Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba had assembled a high level team of investigators to track down those responsible.

The task team had comprised members of the Hawks‚ the Provincial Organised Crime and the Provincial Crime Intelligence units. A reward of up to R500‚000 had also been offered‚ Mojapelo said.

Six people - four men and two women - were burnt beyond recognition after the fiery attack on the bus by the suspects on Monday. The bus immediately caught fire‚ instantly killing the six and injuring 28 others.

The gruesome incident took place at Driekop village outside Burgersfort at the pickup point at around 8pm. Around 50 mineworkers were on board at the time.

"Preliminary investigations indicate that the Segweka Bus Service was busy collecting Modikwa Platinum Mine workers‚ going for a night shift‚ between 8pm and 9pm on Monday. When the bus stopped at Driekop bus stop‚ two unknown suspects got into the bus and set it alight‚ using a highly flammable liquid. They then jumped out‚ leaving behind the bus already engulfed in huge flames‚" Mojapelo said.

Meanwhile‚ the process of identifying the six deceased had commenced.

The cause of the attack was not immediately clear.