The accident has already claimed the lives of at least two people. The road was closed for a while causing traffic to pile up for at least a kilometre.

Bystanders said that a pickup truck belonging to a mine contractor hit a Nissan 1400 with people on the back, from behind. The impact caused the occupants of the Nissan to fly into the air with two people landing under the other vehicle.

People, injured and dead, lay strewn over the road surface with paramedics from ER24, Mpumacare and the Provincial Emergency Services running from patient to patient looking for signs of life.

Traffic is trying to open a lane on the road reserve but expect heavy delays when travelling on the Stoffberg Road (R555).