Fifteen people are dead following a horrific head-on collision between a Mazda CX-5 SUV and a minibus taxi on the N9 outside Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape.
The accident, which occurred in the early hours of Monday morning, approximately 30 kilometres from Graaff-Reinet, claimed the lives of all six occupants of the SUV and eight passengers in the fully-loaded minibus taxi. A further victim succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, bringing the final death toll to 15.
The Eastern Cape transport department spokesperson, Unathi Binqose, confirmed the devastating incident. Initially reporting 14 fatalities, Binqose stated: "We can confirm that it's a total of 14 people that have died in this accident. Initially, the number was 13 but unfortunately, one more person succumbed to injuries and died on the scene, taking the fatalities to 14. All six occupants of the SUV unfortunately perished on the scene and it's eight now that have died from the minibus taxi."
The department later updated the death toll to 15 and the death toll may rise since 10 more victims are currently battling for their lives in hospital.
The accident scene was chaotic, with emergency services personnel working to extricate those trapped in the wreckage.
"The scene is still active at this stage as emergency rescue personnel continue to work hard to save as many lives as possible," Binqose explained earlier in the day.
Eleven people from the minibus taxi were transported to a local hospital with injuries.
It is understood the accident happened around 5:30 am. The SUV, carrying six occupants, and the minibus taxi, travelling from the Western Cape, collided head-on. Tragically, all six occupants of the SUV are believed to be members of the same family. Binqose added: “Fourteen people have died on the scene and sadly six from the SUV are believed to be from the same family.”
The high number of fatalities highlights the severity of the impact. The circumstances surrounding the collision are under investigation, but the sheer number of casualties underscores the urgent need for improved road safety measures.
Binqose emphasised the ongoing need for vigilance on the roads: “It's another head-on collision and the MEC for transport in the Eastern Cape is constantly calling for you and I to be extra vigilant, and to be patient with one another, to help us avoid avoidable accidents like head-on collisions that we have seen so many of in recent days.”
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson, Simon Zwane, expressed his concern, stating that the crash was a significant setback to their road safety efforts. He urged motorists to exercise caution and manage fatigue effectively. "We want to call on motorists to exercise caution on the roads and people to better manage fatigue because we know that exhaustion, both physical and mental exhaustion, affects a driver's judgement," Zwane said.
The incident occurred against a backdrop of anticipated heavy traffic between the Western Cape and Eastern Cape over the long weekend. Binqose had previously informed News24 that over 500 minibus taxis were expected to make daily trips between the two provinces to accommodate the influx of travellers. This tragic accident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of road travel, particularly during peak periods.
In a separate incident on Sunday night, a head-on collision between a van and a sedan on the R61 near Bizana claimed three more lives. This accident, which occurred at approximately 18:30, involved a sedan with two male occupants and a van with three occupants – two females and a male driver.
The department reported: "A sedan with two male occupants, collided head-on with a van with three occupants, two females and a male driver. The two male occupants of the sedan, along with a female passenger from the van, all died on the scene. The two other occupants of the van, including the driver, were rushed to hospital with serious injuries."
