LYDENBURG – This morning two people were killed and three injured in a head-on collision on the road between Vermont and Dullstroom.

The accident involved two vehicles, a Nissan bakkie and white SUV.
It is believed that a 30-year-old mother and her three children were travelling towards town when the driver of the Nissan overtook on a solid line on the bridge before Vermont.

The woman and one of her children sustained serious injuries. She was airlifted to Milpark Hospital in Gauteng and one of the children to a hospital in Mbombela.

The 11-year-old boy and the driver of the Nissan died on impact. The youngest only sustained minor injuries.

The accident occurred around 06:35, leaving the woman trapped in the car. It took rescue personnel until 08:17 to free her.
According to witnesses at the scene, the driver of the bakkie was trying to overtake on a barrier line on the bridge when he crashed into the SUV.

“I heard a big bang when I was walking my kids to school, they leave the house every morning at 06:30. We got to the gate where I heard the sound and the next thing I saw something that looked like dust or smoke. I let my kids go and rushed to the scene.

On my arrival I saw one of the rescue vehicles and I saw a man lying on the ground outside the silver bakkie. When I checked in the white SUV I saw that there were more people. At that time, I couldn’t see how many they were.”
According to Lydenburg SAPS spokesperson, Capt Alfred Moela, they cannot yet confirm the cause of the accident. “We are currently still investigating the matter. We are taking statements from all the witnesses. For now we can confirm that an 11-year-old boy and the driver of the bakkie have been declared died. The woman and her son were airlifted to separate the hospitals.”