Head-on collision kills four in NW

Four people are dead and others have been injured in a head-on collision between a light motor vehicle and a bakkie in the North West on Sunday evening.

Emergency services from the Moretele Local Municipality, along with Tshwane emergency services responded to the accident scene between Swartboom and Vontyn area in the North West on 8 November at approximately 21:21.

“A representative of the Moretele fire services called the City of Tshwane Emergency Call Centre requesting assistance, citing that they were without the necessary resources to extricate trapped victims from two vehicles that had crashed head-on,” Charles Mabaso, spokesperson for the City of Tshwane Emergency Medical Services, said.

Mabaso said the Temba Station fire crews were also dispatched to the incident.

“Upon their arrival on the scene, firefighters found two vehicles that had collided head-on, with three deceased victims in the light motor vehicle, two males and one female, and the deceased male driver of the bakkie still trapped inside the vehicle.”

Mabaso said the trapped victims were freed by firefighters using hydraulic rescue tools (jaws of life).

“According to information received from the South African Police Service on the scene, five patients from the light motor vehicle and two from the bakkie (all with undetermined injuries) were transported to Bela-Bela Hospital before the arrival of the emergency services.”

Mabaso called upon motorists to desist from overloading vehicles with passengers and to adhere to speed limits.

“Extra caution and vigilance should be exercised when driving on rural roads with limited visibility,” Mabaso concluded.

The cause of the accident remains the subject of investigation.

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