An SA Roadlink bus that crashed in Beaufort West did not have a permit to travel on the N1 freeway, Western Cape police said on Thursday.

"It did have a permit but not for the N1," Captain David de Klerk said.

Traffic authorities initially reported that eight people had died in Tuesday's accident but on Thursday police confirmed only seven bodies had been recovered and seven cases of culpable homicide had been opened.

Among the dead was a child.

De Klerk said 50 others were injured when the bus lost control en-route from Johannesburg to Cape Town.

Police said a second Roadlink bus sent to pick up stranded passengers was pulled off the road and inspected.

Die Burger reported that this bus was not roadworthy but De Klerk said that was "not entirely true".

He could not elaborate further on the roadworthiness of the coach and referred media to Beaufort West traffic chief Willie van Rooyen.

Van Rooyen was not immediately available for comment.

Police said families of victims began arriving in the town on Thursday to identify the bodies.

Some post mortems were still being carried out.

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