Man decapitated, multiple injuries in KZN Christmas Day crashes

In a tragic Christmas Day accident, a man’s body was discovered decapitated after his vehicle overturned multiple times in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

The crash occurred in the afternoon on the R102 near Phoenix, northwest of Durban.

The Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) responded to the incident and found a private ambulance service already on the scene.

ALSO READ: Eastern Cape road fatalities could have been avoided, says MEC as 8 arrested for drunk driving

Paramedics were in the process of stabilising a seriously injured passenger.

“A silver Mazda 3 was found on its roof. A second male, believed to be the driver, was lying on the road. He was decapitated in the accident,” Rusa’s statement confirmed.

According to the emergency medical services (EMS) unit, preliminary information suggests the vehicle was travelling at high speed before it collided with a concrete barrier.

Additional Christmas Day accidents in KZN

At least three other accidents occurred on KZN roads on Christmas Day, highlighting the dangerous conditions on the province’s roads.

In the first accident, Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedics responded to a serious single-vehicle crash on the N2 southbound before Spaghetti Junction just after 5am.

Upon arriving at the scene, paramedics found the driver critically injured.

“He was stabilised on the scene before being rushed to a nearby hospital for the urgent care that he required,” the ALS’s statement reads.

Shortly after 8:30am, paramedics attended another accident on the M19 near Otto Volek Road, where a single vehicle had rolled multiple times.

READ MORE: Seven school children among eight dead in KZN taxi crash

The driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, sustained serious injuries and required immediate medical attention.

“Once stabilised, he was rushed to a nearby hospital.”

At around 11am, ALS paramedics were called to another single-vehicle rollover on the N2 northbound before Umgeni Road. The driver was found in serious condition and required advanced medical care.

“He was stabilised by Advanced Life Support paramedics before being transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.”

Police attended all three accident scenes and investigations are ongoing to determine the causes.

Boxing Day tragedy in Mpumalanga

Tragedy struck again on Boxing Day, December 26, when one person died in a crash on KaNyamazane Road in Mpumalanga.

The accident occurred just after 6:00am.

“A single VW Polo overturned in the incident, resulting in one fatality, one person seriously injured, and another with minor injuries,” authorities reported.

These incidents serve as a sombre reminder of the importance of road safety, particularly during the festive season.

Additionally, two people died, and five others sustained injuries, in a crash involving three cars N2 near Gonubie Farmers in Eastern Cape.

NOW READ: Minibus overturns on N3 in Mpumalanga: Seven people dead, five injured