Horror crash kills 10

TEN people died and 19 were injured when a taxi and a van collided head-on, with the taxi also hitting a tree after the collision at Tiyani village outside Elim early Saturday morning.

The taxi was travelling from Gauteng to the Mopani district when it collided with the van.

Provincial police spokesperson, Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi, said three injured passengers were rushed to the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital, three people were admitted to the Elim Hospital and nine people were treated at and discharged from Elim Hospital.

“The taxi driver survived with injuries, while the driver of the van, as well as his three passengers, were declared dead at the scene of the accident,” Mulaudzi said.

“The bodies of the 10 victims are at the Elim Hospital mortuary and one person is still unidentified.

The known deceased are Abel Aubrey Shivambu, Zama Given Mathebula, Khazamula Kenneth Ngobeni, Makungu Getrude Hlongwane, Samuel Mfundisi Hlavane, Shandukani Prince Mukhovha, Ntanganedzeni Tshikonwane, Confidence Humbulani Mudau and Advance Thwalanyari.

He said a culpable homicide case was being investigated and the cause of the accident would form part of the investigation.

Limpopo Road Accident Fund (RAF) spokesperson, Cynthia van Rensburg, said RAF officials had met with the transport, safety, security and liaison MEC, Mapula Mukaba, the families of the deceased and the survivors, and agreed that they would assist by paying for the funeral costs at R16 000 per person.

She said the money would go directly to the undertakers, and not the deceased’s families.

Mokaba conveyed her heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased.

She visited the survivors at the Elim Hospital on Monday to wish them a speedy recovery.

She expressed her concern over the high number of lives recently lost on the province’s roads, and said motorists should adhere to the traffic rules.