13 killed, scores injured in Mpumalanga and KZN accidents

At least 13 people have been killed and many others injured in separate accidents in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Mpumalanga

In Mpumalanga, a head-on collision on Friday night involving a BMW and VW sedans claimed six people’s lives.

The crash happened on the R23 road between Greylingstad and Val.

Mpumalanga department of community safety spokesperson Moeti Mmusi said each vehicle had three occupants, a driver and two passengers who all died on the scene. 

“Five of the victims were males and one female was a passenger in the VW sedan. ”

Mmusi said the cause of the crash is not yet known.

“Based on the scene’s situational analysis, it is suspected that contraventions of the rules, excessive speeding and dangerous overtaking may have caused the collision.  The investigation into the crash commenced last night.

Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, Jackie Macie, has sent his condolences to the bereaved families.

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Taxi crash

In the first accident in KZN, one passenger was killed and 11 others injured in a serious taxi crash on the N3 Durban-bound highway before the Lion Park.

ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said the accident happened just before 6am on Saturday morning.

“Paramedics arrived on the scene to find chaos and carnage as they found that a taxi with 12 occupants had somehow lost control and collided into the centre concrete barrier ejecting some of its occupants,” Jamieson said

“One person, a female believed to be in her 30s, was found to have sustained major injuries and unfortunately there was nothing paramedics could do for her. She was declared deceased on the scene.

Injured

“The remaining 11 patients had sustained various injuries and once stabilised on the scene they were transported to various Cato Ridge and Pietermaritzburg hospitals for the further care that they required,” he said.

Jamieson added that the events leading up to the crash are unknown. However, police and other officials were on the scene for further investigation.

Head-on collision

In a second separate accident, a man believed to be in his 30s was killed in a head-on collision on the M7 Durban-bound near the Winston Churchill offramp in the Pinetown area on Friday evening.

Jamieson said paramedics arrived on the scene to find the badly damaged vehicles on the busy roadway.

“It is alleged that the one vehicle crossed the centre medium and collided head on into the bakkie. The bakkie then rolled coming to rest on its side.

“Paramedics quickly assessed the scene and found that the light motor vehicle driver was entrapped in the wreckage. Paramedics assessed the man, but he showed no signs of life and was declared deceased on the scene. The two occupants from the bakkie had left for the hospital before the paramedics’ arrival,” Jamieson said.

Jamieson said the cause of the accident is being investigated.

Gas truck crash

In the third KZN accident,  three people were killed and three others injured in an accident on the N2 near Amatikulu River (Bridge 10) where a gas truck collided with a light motor vehicle and overturned.

IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Kelsey Jae-Meyrick said the truck was carrying LPG gas and the area is currently unsafe.

“The road is currently closed in both directions and the scene is extremely unsafe. Motorists are urged to please avoid the area until the spill has been cleaned up.

“The road will be closed for the next six hours for clean up. Traffic heading northbound is being diverted off the N2 at the Mandeni offramp”.

Meyrick said the cause of the accident is being investigated.

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