"Joe Mafela had no visible injuries on his body"

Mafela died in a car accident on the M1 on Saturday night. 

According to JMPD spokesperson, Edna Mamonyane, Mafela was driving in a Ford Figo when he smashed into a bakkie on the M1 between Houghton Drive and Oxford Street.

"The bakkie lost control and damaged its rear tyre, but no-one in the bakkie was injured," Mamonyane says.

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She adds that paramedics found the driver of the Figo, who was later identified as the actor, in an unconsious state and tried to resuscitate him.

"We are investigating the accident because there were no visible injuries to Mr Mafela's body, but he was declared dead on the scene," she says.

Meanwhile, tributes have been pouring for Mafela, with ordinary South Africans taking to twitter to express their shock and sadness.