By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Ten people have lost their lives in the horrific accident on Sunday morning when a minibus taxi collided with the rear of a truck on the N1, near Kroonstad in the Free State.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Simon Zwane says the vehicles were going in the same direction.
The crash left only two survivors — a passenger from the taxi and the truck driver — who sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Emergency services were still on the scene at midday, working to extract the bodies from the mangled wreckage.
The section of the N1 where the crash occurred remains closed to traffic, causing delays for motorists in the area.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the collision, and more details will be released as the situation develops.
Motorists are urged to drive cautiously and to expect delays on this stretch of road.
In a separate incident, three people including a nine-year-old child were in a collision between two bakkies on the R30 between Allanridge and Odendaalsrus last night.
Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy highlighted key focus areas for 2024, including the strategic deployment of law enforcement personnel and awareness initiatives to bolster the festive season campaign.
“The high incidence of road crashes and their associated consequences significantly impact South African society.This impact is measured in terms of lost human lives, pain, grief, and suffering, and comes at a considerable cost to the economy.”
Varied research points to South Africa’s road safety situation being among the worst in the world, characterised by alarmingly high fatality rates.
According to a study by “Compare the Market Australia”, South Africa has the highest number of fatal accidents at 44.8 per 100 000 people, significantly exceeding the rates of countries known for their dangerous roads, such as India and Brazil.”
In 2022 alone, there were 12 436 fatalities on South African roads, with pedestrian deaths accounting for a substantial portion of these incidents.
Only through continued efforts can the peak-period road fatality figure over December and January be decreased even more.
Last year, 1 427 people died in road accidents over the festive season, representing a slight decrease of 1.7% compared to the previous year’s fatalities for the same period, which numbered 1 448.