Most of the accidents occurred in KZN.
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) emergency services responded to a series of serious crashes over the weekend that left three people dead and several others injured.
Furthermore, three people died in a crash in the Eastern Cape.
KZN accidents: Woman killed in Pinetown
Shortly before 1:00 am on Sunday, two vehicles collided head-on along Underwood Road near Hans Detman Road in Pinetown, west of Durban.
Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedics rushed to the scene after receiving multiple emergency calls.
According to the ambulance service, one of the drivers, a woman believed to be in her forties, died from her injuries.
“There was nothing paramedics could do for her and she was declared deceased on the scene,” ALS Paramedics’ statement reads.
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Two people from the second car sustained serious injuries and were treated on-site before being transported to hospital.
“Once stabilised on the scene by Advanced Life Support Paramedics they were transported to a nearby hospital for the further care that they required.
“At this stage the events leading up to the crash is unknown; however, Saps [South Africa Police Service] were in attendance and will be investigating further.”
Copsville truck-car collision
The second collision occurred around 2:00 am on the R33 near the off-ramp in Copsville.
Two people — a man and a woman — died at the scene, while two others were critically injured.
The crash, described as “catastrophic”, involved a truck and a car.
“The devastating crash occurred at approximately 2:00am, transforming a routine stretch of road into a scene of twisted metal and shattered glass.
“Emergency services arrived to find the car’s wreckage crushed and scattered across the roadway, with debris creating a complex rescue environment that demanded immediate multi-agency coordination,” KZN Private Ambulance Services spokesperson Craig Botha said in statement.
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Despite the severity of the scene, paramedics stabilised the two critically injured patients using advanced life support interventions.
“The critical patients, who sustained multiple traumatic injuries across their bodies, required sophisticated medical intervention including analgesia and advanced airway management procedures.
“The complexity of their injuries demanded the full spectrum of pre-hospital emergency care before transport to hospital for continued medical treatment.”
Authorities have since reopened the road after managing the scene and starting investigations.
“This incident serves as a sobering reminder of road safety importance, particularly during early morning hours when visibility and reaction times can be compromised.”
Hazelmere bridge incident
A third accident in KZN involved a car overturning, though no injuries were reported.
According to Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), the crash occurred on New Glasgow Road in Hazelmere on Saturday.
A grey Hyundai Atos reportedly lost control, veered over the edge of a bridge and landed on its roof.
The vehicle was carrying five occupants at the time of the incident; however, the driver fled the scene before emergency services arrived.
“The remaining four occupants were found on-site and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. No injuries were reported,” Rusa’s statement reads.
Eastern Cape fatal crash
Meanwhile, three people — two women and one man — died following a collision between two vehicles in Eastern Cape on Sunday morning.
The fatal accident took place on the R67 near Thambo village in Whittlesea, SABC News reported.
According to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, one of the victims died in hospital after sustaining serious injuries in the crash.
Another person remains in a serious condition at Hewu Hospital.
The provincial department confirmed a case of culpable homicide has been opened.
Eastern Cape Transport MEC for Transport in the Eastern Cape, Xolile Nqatha conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families, while wishing the one in hospital a speedy and full recovery.
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