Five killed in collision on Percy Fyfe road
Unsafe overtaking and reckless driving are cited as possible reasons for the collision.
POLOKWANE – The transport department’s spokesperson, Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala, confirmed that five people were killed in the collision on the Percy Fyfe road on Sunday night.
Read more: Vehicle up in flames on the Percy Fyfe road
“Five people were killed and two others escaped with injuries in a multiple car crash on D544 Percy Fyfe road in the Capricorn district outside Polokwane. It has been reported that a bakkie was trying to overtake another vehicle when it collided head-on with an oncoming sedan. The bakkie then sideswiped a SUV and the bakkie burnt to ashes,” he explained.
Moremi-Taueatsoala added that five occupants from the sedan were killed on impact.
“Unsafe overtaking and reckless driving are cited as possible reasons for the horrific accident. The injured were rushed to Pietersburg Provincial Hospital and police are investigating a case of culpable homicide,” he said.
Transport MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya sent messages of condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.
“The MEC says the province continues to lose innocent lives due to recklessness of certain individuals on the roads. She once again makes a plea to drivers to obey traffic rules and assist in reducing fatal accidents on our roads,” Moremi-Taueatsoala concluded.
Also read: [LISTEN] Speed kills, warns department after two incidents
Meanwhile, ER24 communications manager Werner Vermaak said three people were killed, while three others sustained various injuries when a car crashed down a bridge along the R81 outside Polokwane on Saturday evening.
“At approximately 21:30, paramedics arrived and found the car lying on its roof at the bottom of the bridge. They found that three people were ejected from the vehicle and sadly, all three succumbed to their injuries before paramedics’ arrival on the scene. They found three others near the vehicle with moderate injuries,” Vermaak explained.
He said the injured were assessed and treated on the scene before they were transported to a nearby hospital for further care.
“The exact circumstances surrounding the incident is not yet known. Local authorities attended the scene,” Vermaak concluded.
