Horror bus crash leaves 45 dead with girl, eight, as the sole survivor after South African coach plunged off a bridge into a ravine before bursting into flames

A horror bus crash in South Africa has left 45 dead and only one survivor, an eight-year-old girl, who is being treated in hospital.

The bus plunged into a ravine after the driver lost control and collided with barriers on a bridge in the northeastern province of Limpopo, the transport ministry said.

It landed on a rocky surface some 50 metres below the bridge, known as the Mamatlakala Pass, before bursting into flames, according to reports.

The passenger bus was transporting pilgrims from Botswana, a country in Southern Africa, to Moria, a town in Limpopo, for an Easter weekend church service.

Rescue operations continued late into this evening, as some bodies were burned beyond recognition, others trapped inside the debris and scattered on the scene, Limpopo's Department of Transport said.

The bus had a Botswana licence plate, local authorities said, but the nationalities of the passengers was still being checked. 

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who visited the crash site, sent her condolences to the bereaved families and the Botswana government.

'I am sending my heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the tragic bus crash, near Mamatlakala. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. With heightened alertness, we continue to urge responsible driving at all times as more people are on our roads this Easter weekend,' Chikunga said.

The minister added that the cause of the crash is under investigation. 

The accident occurred on the major bridge linking two hillsides near Mmamatlakala, around 190 miles from Johannesburg.

While South Africa has one of the African continent's most developed road networks, it also suffers from one of the worst safety records. 

Just hours before the crash, President Cyril Ramaphosa appealed to South Africans to take care when travelling during the Easter week.

'Let's do our best to make this a safe Easter. Easter does not have to be a time where we sit back and wait to see statistics on tragedy or injuries on our roads,' he said in a statement.