Five people died today (March 4) on the N4 toll road near Schoemanskloof towards Mbombela at around 11:00. According to a statement by the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison (DCCSL), the crash occurred when a truck and a minibus (belonging to Eco Coaches) were involved in a side-swipe collision.

The truck, headed in Mbombela’s direction, went on to collide head-on with a light delivery vehicle (LDV) that was travelling in the opposite direction. The scene is currently being cleared, but TRAC encourages road users to not use Schoemanskloof, as the road is closed until further notice.

Four of the deceased had been occupants in the minibus, including three passengers and the driver. The driver of the LDV also died on the scene. Three of the deceased are believed to be tourists from the Netherlands.

The five victims died at the scene of the crash. Three people, two of whom were in the minibus, were seriously injured; the third was the driver of the truck. One other person escaped with slight injuries. Various ambulances responded and the injured were all rushed to nearby hospitals.

The cause of the crash is still unclear and the investigation into it is already under way. The Mpumalanga MEC for the DCCSL, Vusi Shongwe, has expressed concern over the frequency of deadly road crashes in the province.

Shongwe once more urged motorists to be vigilant to avoid needless and avoidable tragedies such as this one.

“We must all play our part in curbing these crashes. Our roads must not be turned into killing fields by reckless drivers. Motorists should respect the rules and exercise required diligence when they are behind the steering wheel,” he said.

The MEC sent heartfelt and deep condolences to the bereaved families and also wished the injured a speedy recovery. This is a developing story and more information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.