A head-on collision between two minibus taxis, which were hit by an SUV, occurred on one of South Africa’s main highways. At least 21 people were killed in the crash, while four others sustained serious injuries, UNN reports, citing AP.
According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the crash occurred overnight on Sunday in the Western Cape province, between the towns of Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka, approximately 380 kilometers east of Cape Town.
The collision involved two Toyota minibuses and a Suzuki SUV, police spokesperson Warrant Officer Christopher Spies said.
Eighteen people died at the scene. Three others died after being taken to hospital, bringing the total death toll to 21, Spies said. According to the Western Cape Department of Mobility, four other people sustained serious injuries.
The death toll "may change as emergency services and Western Cape authorities continue to examine the scene," the RTMC said.
Traffic on the N1 highway at the crash site was halted. Police opened a case of culpable homicide; the cause of the collision is currently being investigated, Spies said. The RTMC also sent investigators to the scene.
The collision in the Western Cape was one of two major crashes that claimed the lives of at least 29 people in South Africa over the weekend, according to a government statement. Another eight people were killed in a separate crash near the town of Ermelo in Mpumalanga province early Sunday morning.
Minibus taxis are the main form of public transportation for millions of South Africans, and they are frequently involved in fatal crashes. In January, at least 25 people, including 14 children, were killed in two separate crashes involving minibuses.
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