Five killed, 12 injured after taxi overturns in Eastern Cape

Five people have been killed and 12 others injured after a minibus taxi they were travelling in overturned in the Eastern Cape.

Eastern Cape transport department spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the accident happened on Thursday on a gravel road at Mgwenyane Location in Libode.

“The vehicle, a fully loaded Toyota Quantum from Mthatha heading to Majola locations, passing Mgwenyane location, the driver lost control and it overturned. Four passengers, an adult male, and a female, believed to be husband and wife, as well as two children the youngest of whom was months old died on the scene.”

Brake failure?

Binqose said an elderly woman in her 70s succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead upon arrival at St Barnabas Hospital in Ntlaza in the Eastern Cape.

“Three other passengers sustained severe injuries while nine others including the diver escaped with minor injuries.”

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 “It is believed that breaks failure contributed to the crash as it is said to have reversed in a hilly terrain A case of culpable homicide has been opened at Libode SAPS for further investigations,” Binqose said.

KZN crash

The Eastern Cape crash comes almost a week after eleven people, including a 12-year-old child, were killed in a head-on accident in KwaZulu-Natal.

It is understood the crash happened on the R622 between Greytown and Mooi river on Saturday afternoon.

Midlands EMS spokesperson Roland Roberton said emergency services crews were dispatched to the scene where they were met with a grim scene.

Roberton said a child was the sole survivor from one of the vehicles after both his mother and father were killed in the crash.

“Upon arrival, crews were met with a horrific scene. Eleven people showed no signs of life and were declared deceased on the scene. A 12-year-old male, the sole survivor from one of the vehicles, was found in critical condition. He was placed on a manual ventilator at the scene and rushed to a specialist hospital for further care.

“Another person also sustained serious injuries and required urgent medical attention,” Roberton said.

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