A serious head-on collision involving two minibus taxis on the R69 Hlobane Road left 24 people injured this morning (Thursday), including several schoolchildren.

Collision occurs on R69 Hlobane Road

The accident occurred at approximately 07:00 and caused major traffic disruptions while emergency services worked frantically to treat the injured and clear the scene. One of the taxis was transporting children to school, while the second vehicle was occupied only by the driver.

Emergency crews find wreckage at scene

Emergency personnel arrived to find wreckage and debris scattered across both lanes of the road. Paramedics immediately began triaging patients due to the high number of injured passengers.

Critical and serious injuries confirmed

Two patients sustained critical injuries, including a seven-year-old girl who required advanced life support treatment at the scene. A man believed to be in his 40s was trapped inside one of the taxis and had to be freed by firefighters using hydraulic rescue equipment.

Three other patients suffered serious injuries, including suspected spinal trauma and multiple fractures. A further 19 people, most of them schoolchildren, sustained minor injuries and were stabilised before being transported to various hospitals for further treatment.

Emergency services describe chaotic scene

Craig Botha, media liaison officer for KwaZulu Private Ambulance Services, described the scene as deeply distressing for emergency responders.

“Paramedics were met with a scene of absolute carnage when they arrived on the R69 crash scene this morning,” he said.

Authorities manage scene and traffic flow

Members of the South African Police Service, Fire Department and Traffic Department were deployed to manage crowd control, assist with rescue operations and divert traffic away from the scene.

Road reopened after investigation begins

The R69 was closed for approximately 90 minutes while emergency teams worked to assist the injured and authorities conducted initial investigations. The road was reopened to motorists at around 08:30.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.