15 killed in major crashes over the weekend

The number of fatalities included four SA Police Service officers who died when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a minibus taxi in Harding, southern KwaZulu-Natal on Friday. 

Five people died in that incident, the RTMC said in a statement.

Two other people died in a multiple car collision on the N2 in Margate, also in southern KwaZulu-Natal, also on Friday. 

The collision involved a light delivery vehicle, two sedans, and two taxis. The cause of the crash was still under investigation.

The worst collision of the weekend claimed eight lives when a taxi collided with a truck on the N9 between Cradock and Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape on Saturday night. 

It was alleged that the taxi hit a cow before the driver lost control of the vehicle and it veered straight into the path of the oncoming truck and collided with it head-on. 

The drivers of both vehicles died in the crash, the RTMC said.

Investigations into the factors that led to these crashes were underway and the RTMC urged motorists to exercise extreme caution on the roads and obey the rules of the road.

“Those travelling long distances [should] have enough sleep before embarking on their trips and take enough breaks along the way to avoid fatigue. 

All passengers should wear seat belts and underage children should be in child restraints. Motorists should always be on the lookout for pedestrians and stray animals,” the RTMC said. – African News Agency (ANA)