Five dead, including baby, in R36 Maruleng crash
Five people died in a head-on collision on the R36 near The Oaks, highlighting rising road fatalities in Maruleng.
HOEDSPRUIT – Maruleng continues to grapple with a troubling rise in fatal road collisions, with more than five major crashes in recent months.
The most devastating to date remains the R40 incident in February this year, which claimed 13 lives.
In the latest tragedy, five people, including a one-year-old baby, lost their lives in a collision on the R36 near the JG Strydom Tunnel outside The Oaks on Saturday, July 5.
One additional passenger sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital. Their condition remains unknown.
According to the Department of Transport and Community Services spokesperson Tshifhiwa Dali, authorities are not ruling out negligent driving as a possible cause.
“Preliminary reports indicate that a light delivery vehicle (LDV) collided head-on with a sedan, lost control, and overturned,” Dali said.
Limpopo Transport MEC Violet Mathye extended her condolences to the affected families.
“On behalf of the department and the people of our province, we offer our prayers and deepest sympathies to the families of the deceased during this painful time. We also wish the injured a full and speedy recovery.”
Mathye urged motorists to drive responsibly and to make road safety a top priority to prevent further loss of life on the province’s roads.
