A horrific crash on the N2 between Amatikulu and Dokodweni claimed the lives of five family members last week, plunging Ndwedwe into grief at a mass funeral on Sunday.

The deceased – Khululiwe Goodness Maphumulo (34), Sithabiso Artwell Mthiya (35), Lowren Mthiya (41), Ephraim Siphiwe Ntuli (44) and Phakamani Joseph Mthiya (44) – were travelling to Nquthu to attend a traditional event when their car was crushed in a collision with a sugarcane truck.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, confirmed that his department assisted the grieving family with transport to the eShowe mortuary, where they identified their loved ones. He said officials had also worked closely with the mayors of Ndwedwe, ilembe and Mandeni to support the family in preparing for the funeral.

“This tragedy has deeply shaken the family and the Ndwedwe community. The outpouring of messages of condolence from across KwaZulu-Natal has been overwhelming and will strengthen the family during this difficult period,” said Duma.

The accident comes amid growing concerns about the deadly stretch of the N2 between Mandeni and KwaDukuza, which has witnessed a string of fatal crashes in recent months.

Earlier this year, a bus carrying congregants from the Twelve Apostles Church plunged down an embankment after a tyre burst, killing nine people and injuring more than 60. Days later, a head-on collision near Mandeni left one person dead and five others critically injured.

In October last year, eight people – including three schoolchildren – were killed when a Toyota Avanza collided with a truck near Mandeni. That tragedy was followed by another head-on collision at almost the same location, claiming the life of a motorist in his forties.

These repeated crashes have heightened alarm over the safety of the N2 corridor. Transport authorities have repeatedly warned that reckless driving, speeding and poor vehicle maintenance remain among the leading causes of the mounting death toll.

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