By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Three people were killed yesterday, and three others injured following a head-on collision between a taxi and a light motor vehicle on the R501 between Carletonville and Potchefstroom.
ER24 paramedics and other services arrived on the scene at 05h58 to find the taxi and light motor vehicle off the side of the road.
On closer inspection, medics found a man and two women lying inside the light motor vehicle. Unfortunately, all three patients had already succumbed to their numerous injuries.
A woman, a man and a young girl were found lying outside the vehicles. Medics assessed the patients and found that the woman and child were in critical condition while the man had sustained moderate injuries.
Medics treated the patients and provided the critically injured with advanced life support interventions before they were transported to Potchefstroom Provincial Hospital for further care.
Local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.
In a separate incident, four people were killed in a collision involving a light motor vehicle and a minibus on the N1 north near Kroonstad.
Free State Department of Health spokesperson Elke de Witt said emergency services were alerted to the crash around midnight.
Two adults and two children died in the crash. Witt said the minibus driver was the sole survivor.
He was transported to Boitumelo Hospital in Kroonstad.
“The N1 was closed for about four hours for scene recovery and clean up,” she said.
Health MEC Montseng Tsiu appealed to motorists to be more vigilant on the roads.
“Those driving long distances are advised to take a break when they feel tired because fatigue is dangerous.”