Five people die in head-on collision with fuel tanker

Five people died in the North West on Wednesday in a head-on collision between the sedan they were travelling in and a fuel tanker.

The collision occurred on the R30 road between Ventersdorp and Klerksdorp. At the time, North West Premier Job Mokgoro and Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari were conducting a joint law enforcement operation in Orkney.

Mokgoro sent messages of condolence to the families of the five people who died.

North West provincial spokesperson Vuyisile Ngesi said initial reports revealed that the driver of the sedan was overtaking a vehicle when he collided with the fuel tanker, which was travelling in the opposite direction.

“The road had to be closed for over two hours as law enforcement officers were disentangling the wreckage from the tanker. Mokgoro has called on motorists and pedestrians to exercise caution during the festive period,” Ngesi said.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula revealed on Tuesday that between 1 December and 20 December, 690 people lost their lives on the roads, compared to 732 over the same period in 2019.

The Eastern Cape recorded 96 fatalities, Limpopo recorded 90 fatalities and 73 fatalities were recorded in Mpumalanga.

Mbalula has promised to intensify the focus on hotspots in the coming days.

“We will equally intensify the enforcement of Alert Level 1 regulations and directions without fear or favour. This includes enforcing the curfew for all road users,” Mbalula said.

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