JOHANNESBURG, May 8 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and 44 others injured on Thursday after a bus originating from Malawi overturned in South Africa's Limpopo Province, local authorities said on Friday.

The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety said the accident occurred at around 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) near the Witvlag turn-off outside Makhado, adding that the bus was carrying 61 passengers traveling from Malawi to South Africa's Gauteng Province.

Among the injured, 22 sustained serious injuries, 17 suffered moderate injuries and five suffered minor injuries, the department said, adding that emergency personnel transported the victims to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Preliminary investigations indicated that mechanical failure was suspected to have caused the crash after the bus reportedly lost its brakes, the department added.

Isaac Gisali, a Kenyan passenger who survived the accident, told local media that the driver had attempted to repair the faulty brakes before the crash occurred.

South Africa has witnessed a number of deadly bus accidents in recent years. In February, five people were killed and 32 others injured after a passenger bus lost control on the N1 highway near Makhado. Last October, 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 road accidents on driver fatigue, speeding, drunk driving, unsafe pedestrian conduct and poor vehicle conditions.