By Marcus Moloko
Eleven people were killed and eight others sustained critical burn injuries in a horrific head on collision involving a minibus taxi and a truck on the N2 near the Nkwiliza Bridge in the Inkosi Mtubatuba Local Municipality on Sunday morning.
The crash occurred at 4am when a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi travelling northbound collided head-on with an articulated truck travelling southbound.
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KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased following the tragedy.
According to preliminary reports, 11 people died at the scene, while a further eight passengers were critically injured and suffered severe burn wounds after the minibus taxi caught fire following the impact.
It is understood that the passengers in the taxi were returning from a Maskandi music festival in eMpangeni when the collision occurred.
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MEC Duma described the accident as a devastating loss of life and extended his sympathies to the bereaved families and those recovering from their injuries.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragic crash. Our thoughts and prayers are also with those who were injured and are receiving medical treatment,” said Duma.
Emergency services, law enforcement officials and forensic investigators responded to the scene. The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) is working alongside police to determine the exact cause of the collision.
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Police and Duma have urged motorists to exercise extreme caution on the province’s roads, particularly during the early hours of the morning, as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deadly crash continue.
The N2 near the crash scene experienced disruptions as emergency personnel conducted recovery operations and investigators gathered evidence. No official cause for the collision had been confirmed at the time of publication.
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