Taxi accident claims 8 lives
EIGHT people were killed after a taxi driver lost control on Monday afternoon on the R101 from Mookgophong to Mokopane.
MOKOPANE – EIGHT people were killed after a taxi driver lost control on Monday afternoon on the R101 from Mookgophong to Mokopane.
The taxi from Johannesburg was transporting 17 passengers when the driver lost control of the vehicle after the right rear tyre burst about 15km outside Mookgophong.
The taxi rolled and stopped against a tree, reported WO George Ledwaba, spokesperson for Mookgophong police.
The local authorities and paramedics arrived on the scene and had to cut some of the passengers out of the vehicle using the jaws of life.
On assessment, the local authorities and paramedics found that six passengers died on the scene, four sustained critical injuries and were immediately transported to hospital, two patients were treated for serious injuries and the rest were treated for minor injuries, reported one of the authorities on the scene, who would like to remain anonymous.
Ledwaba reported that two of the critically injured passengers died later that afternoon in hospital. He also stated that the driver was only treated for minor injuries and that a case of culpable homicide had been opened. “We are busy with a thorough investigation into the matter.”
