Johannesburg: At least 42 people were killed after a bus crashed on the N1 highway near Louis Trichardt in northern South Africa, authorities said on Monday.

The accident occurred in a mountainous region of Limpopo province, around 400 kilometres north of Pretoria.

According to the Limpopo provincial government, the bus was believed to be carrying Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals travelling to their home countries.

Officials have not yet confirmed the number of people injured in the crash.