Wits sends team to Limpopo where students died in crash
The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) on Monday said it had sent a team of representatives to bereaved families of seven students, who died in road accident on Sunday evening in Limpopo.
In a statement issued by the university, Wits said it was with great sadness that the university learnt on Monday morning that seven students passed away in a road accident that took place on Sunday night.
Six other students were injured and had been hospitalised, said a student who was travelling in a car behind the minibus taxi when the accident occurred.
“It appears that the students were travelling back from a prayer meeting in Limpopo,” the university said in the statement.
“Details are still sketchy and the University has dispatched a team to gather further information on the ground and to support the family and friends of those that have passed away. The Dean of Students and the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Adam Habib are also en route to Limpopo.”
The university said it “extended its deepest sympathies” to the friends and family of those who passed away during this difficult period.
Earlier on Monday, SA Traffic Authority said that eight people were killed after a minibus taxi they were travelling in hit an overturned trailer and caught alight.
The driver and seven passengers were burned inside the minibus taxi while the body of the eighth passenger was found on the ground with a severed head.
Limpopo traffic spokesman, Kaiso Mootane, said: “A Toyota Quantum hit, from the rear, an overturned trailer of a truck. The trailer was not visible”.
Mootane said authories were investigating circumstances leading to the crash. - ANA