Grim start to Heritage long-weekend on the roads

Traffic authorities are asking drivers to exercise caution on the roads. 

This as the Heritage long weekend got off to a grim start in Gauteng with two serious accidents that left six people dead. 

"A heavy motor vehicle overturned on the N12 next to Kliprivier offramp where 4 people died," said Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson Sello Maremane. 

"In a separate incident in Randfontein, two bakkies collided, leaving two people dead," he added. 

Maremane says driver behaviour is of concern to them. 

"Many of these road fatalities are happening as a result of drivers overtaking, speeding, reckless, and negligent driving," he said. 

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In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), several people were injured when a minibus taxi slammed through a side barrier fence along Umngeni Road in Durban on Saturday morning. 

It's suspected the taxi driver lost control at the wheel causing the loaded transport vehicle to crash before crossing over onto oncoming traffic and colliding with a vehicle. 

KZN Private Ambulance Association's Andile Nduli says when they arrived they found some of the patients lying on road next to the minibus.

"Upon arrival, we found there were no other ambulance had responded and that a minibus taxi had lost control and hit the highway fence," he said.

"After hitting the fence it collided with a small car resulting in 10 people being injured and were treated on the scene."

Additional reporting by Steve Bhengu, ECR Newswatch.