WATCH: Video of horrific minibus accident on R40 leaked

Four people lost their lives in Mbombela on August 31 following a collision between two minibus taxis in Riverside.

A video of the horrific crash was leaked and shared on various social media platforms. It is not for sensitive viewers.

A statement by the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison’s spokesperson, Moeti Mmusi, said that two passengers, one from each of the taxis, were declared dead on the scene.

> Video: Various social media platforms

He said another two passengers died while being treated at local hospitals.

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Several others sustained injuries, varying from minor to serious.

One of the passengers who died on the scene had been just a few metres from her place of work when the crash occurred. The workplace and her identity cannot yet be revealed, as not all of her next of kin have been informed of her death.

The deceased’s manager said she was due to start work at 06:00.

“We heard there was an accident just up the road. At about 06:10, we heard from paramedics that she had been in the crash. They had identified her by her uniform,” said the manager.

“We asked one of her colleagues to walk to the scene. We didn’t know at that stage she had died. We thought she might be injured and could give her colleague her belongings so she did not have to worry about them.

“After a few minutes, the colleague called us and said she was dead. Everyone is devastated.”

He said she had been working at the company for about a year and was known for her bubbly and friendly personality. Colleagues said she was always dancing and making people smile and laugh.

“Everyone here is quite close-knit, so we are all taking the news quite badly,” he said.

Mmusi said the cause of the crash remains unclear at this point. “However, reckless and negligent driving cannot be ruled out. The investigation into the crash has already commenced,” he said.