UPDATE: 14 people die on the N4
Traffic is heavily backed up and the West-bound lane is closed.
MATSULU – An accident between three trucks, a car and a minibus taxi left fourteen people dead earlier today.
The spokesman for community safety, security and liaison confirmed that the accident occurred on the N4 at the Matsulu intersection.
According to Solange Soares-Nicholson, spokesman for TRAC, a Polo travelling in the direction of Malalane attempted to overtake a truck.
She said that the driver must have realised that he could not complete the attempt, and tried to get back into his lane. He side-swiped the truck and lost control.
A minibus taxi driving behind the Polo, swerved into the oncoming lane in an attempt to avoid the Polo. A truck, driving from the Malalane direction, hit it head-on.
Soares-Nicholson then said that a third truck, driving behind the second truck, swerved to avoid the truck-taxi collision in front of it, and jack-knifed.
She added that at this time it was unclear in which vehicles which patients and deceased had been travelling in.
Numerous patients are being rushed to hospital by various emegergency services, and the Mbombela Fire Department is busy extracting some bodies from the minibus.
This is a developing story and more information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.
