Transport minister orders swift investigation after 10 die in Free State taxi crash

Several passengers of a minibus taxi have been killed in an accident on the N1.

At least 10 people have been confirmed dead after the taxi collided with a large truck roughly 90km from Kroonstad.

Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy and her deputy Mkhuleko Hlengwa have since instructed the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to compile a preliminary report within 48 hours.

Sunday morning tragedy

The accident occurred at roughly 4.40am with both vehicles heading towards Johannesburg.

Three men and seven women were confirmed dead at the scene, while one person was taken to Boitumelo Hospital in Kroonstad with serious injuries.

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Free State Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Sipho Towa confirmed to The Citizen that the taxi struck the rear of the truck, but that the cause of the accident will be subject to investigation.

“RTMC crash investigator was on scene with police conducting the investigation,” said Towa.

Creecy and Hlengwa expressed their sadness at the incident, reminding motorists to drive with caution and diligence to avoid the loss of loved ones.

“Long distance drivers are urged to take a break after every 200 km or after every two hours of driving. This is due to a proven fact that fatigue is a silent killer,” stated the transport ministry.

Five perish on Saturday

The Sunday morning incident comes a day after five people died on the N3 outside Harrismith.

Towa stated a head-on collision between a truck and a car occurred in the early evening, with emergency services arriving at the scene at around 8pm.

The incident came hours after acting Free State premier Jabu Mbalula and Health MEC Monyatso Mahlatsi concluded their festive season road safety campaign in the province.

Mbalula stated earlier that road safety was a collective responsibility and asked all road users to take action to prevent crashes and fatalities. 

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