Six people were killed and four others seriously injured when two cars collided on the N11 late Sunday afternoon (yesterday). All the dead were from one car, and included a four- and eight-year-old child.

The four injured were all traveling in the other car and included three schoolchildren. They were rushed to La Verna Hospital with injuries including multiple fractures and possible spinal injuries, according to paramedics. The injured are from a prominent farming family in the Elandslaagte area.  Some of the crash victims had to be cut free from the wreckage.

Emergency services spent time stabilising the injured and the N11 was blocked for close to three hours, causing massive traffic build-up.

There was a secondary accident involving a bakkie and a car, but no one was injured. Adding to the confusion, a bus attempted to make a U-turn and got stuck, further hampering traffic flow.

The names of the injured are known to the Ladysmith Gazette. As they are minors and of school-going age, we have not named them.

An accident investigation team has been deployed from Pietermaritzburg to investigate the incident.