By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo: Twitter/Road Traffic Management Corporation.
Nineteen family members were killed in a head-on collision between a taxi and a truck on the R34 between Bloemhof and Schweizer-Reneke in the North West on Saturday night.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said it will investigate the accident.
“The RTMC is sending investigators to the scene to establish the exact cause of the crash. All we know at this stage is that it happened around 9.30pm near Schweizer-Reneke in the North West and involved a truck and Quantum minibus,” said RTMC spokesperson, Simon Zwane.
Police spokesperson Sam Tselanyane confirmed that the 19 people that died were from the same family.
“They were allegedly from a family gathering in Bloemhof going back home to Ipelegeng Location in Schweizer-Reneke,” said Tselanyane.
There were 22 occupants in the vehicle. Three people, two women and a child, survived.
The events leading up to accident are not known at this stage.
Tselanyane said a case of culpable homicide has been opened.
Meanwhile, six people were killed in another head-on collision between an Isuzu van and a Ford sedan on the R518 road in Lephalale in Waterberg on Saturday night.
According to the Department of Transport and Community Safety, the driver of the Ford lost control of his vehicle and hit the van.
Five people inside the Ford sedan, including the driver, were killed on impact. The driver of the van was also certified dead on the scene.
Two passengers with serious injuries were rushed to a local hospital.