A serious M1 accident occurred on Monday morning, 28 July 2025, when a passenger on a moving bus allegedly got into a fight with the driver and grabbed the steering wheel.
Chaos on M1 as bus collides with six cars after passenger interferes
This caused the bus to lose control and crash into six other vehicles.
According to the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), the bus was driving on the M1 south towards the Booysens off-ramp when the incident took place.
The vehicle then veered off course, jumped the barrier, and ended up on the M1 northbound lane where it collided with multiple vehicles.
JMPD confirmed that multiple people were injured in the crash, though no deaths have been reported at this time.
Emergency services responded quickly, treating the injured at the scene and taking some to nearby hospitals for further care.
“The preliminary information that we do have is that the bus was travelling on the M1 south towards the Booysens off-ramp when the passenger allegedly had an altercation with the driver and then grabbed the steering wheel. The bus lost control, veered off the M1 south and jumped over the barriers onto the M1 north,” a JMPD spokesperson explained.
The crash happened shortly after 07:00 in the morning, causing major traffic delays during rush hour.
Law enforcement officers closed off the M1 northbound near Booysens Road to manage the situation and assist emergency responders.
Motorists were advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes such as Nasrec Road, Main Reef Road, Columbine Avenue, and Kliprivier Drive to access the Johannesburg central business district.
Authorities have opened a case of reckless and negligent driving and confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing.
Officials are working to determine the full sequence of events and what exactly caused the passenger to interfere with the driver.
The scene remains active as law enforcement and recovery teams work to clear the road and restore traffic flow.