Five including 2-month-old baby die in Satan’s Neck Pass crash

Five people including a two-month-old baby have died in an accident on the Satan’s Neck Pass in the Eastern Cape after the driver of a taxi lost control of the vehicle.

Nine others were injured in the accident on the R58 road between Engcobo and Khowa (Elliot) on Tuesday.

Eastern Cape Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the incident occurred at about 8:30 am when the diver of a minibus taxi lost control of the vehicle and it overturned.

Fatalities

“A VW Minibus Sprinter with 14 occupants was traveling from Khowa direction (origin from Rustenburg to Mthatha). Five occupants (three female adults, one adult male, including an infant 2-months-old boy) died in the accident

“The injured were taken to All Saints Hospital, Mthatha General Hospital and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha and Ngcobo. The driver Was among those who escaped unharmed,”  Binqose said.

Binqose added the circumstances surrounding the cause of the crash are subject to investigations.

“A case of culpable homicide has been opened at Ngcobo Saps,” Binqose said.

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Other accidents

The latest accident in the Eastern Cape raises to 14, the number of fatalities on the provinces roads from three separate accidents.

On Saturday four people were killed and four others injured in an accident in province.

The accident happened on the R411 road in Mqanduli on Saturday.

Binqose said a Toyota Fortuner with eight occupants lost control and it overturned.

“Four males adults including the driver died on the scene. The four injured passengers were taken to Zithulele Provincial Hospital for medical attention.  Circumstances surrounding this crash are still unknown at this stage.”

Binqose said a culpable homicide docket has been opened at Mqanduli Saps in the Eastern Cape for further investigations.

In an earlier accident between Peddie and Makhanda in the Eastern Cape, five people died when a fully loaded taxi crashed into a stationary truck.

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