A fatal collision between a minibus taxi and a truck on the N3 highway yesterday morning claimed the lives of eight people and necessitated a full closure of the major route.
The accident occurred on the N3 between Van Reenen’s Pass and Montrose. According to Sindi Msimang, spokesperson for the Road Traffic Inspectorate, preliminary reports indicate a truck lost power on a steep hill and rolled backwards, colliding with an oncoming minibus.
“Through impact, the minibus lost control, capsized, and landed on the shoulder of the opposite bound,” Msimang stated.
The minibus was carrying 15 occupants, including the driver. Eight people were confirmed deceased at the scene. Six survivors were transported to a hospital in Harrismith by emergency medical services. The condition of the minibus driver was initially unconfirmed, with authorities working to establish if he was among the deceased or the hospitalized.
Following the crash, emergency services closed the affected section of the highway. While the road has since been reopened, authorities at the time urged motorists to exercise extreme caution and seek alternative routes as investigators and cleanup crews worked at the scene.
Msimang expressed sympathies to the families of the victims and provided guidance for concerned relatives.
“We would like them to call the South African Police Service (SAPS) because they are the ones that responded with us,” Msimang said, noting that the exact origins and destination of the minibus were not immediately known.
The SAPS in Harrismith is the primary point of contact for family members seeking information about loved ones who may have been involved in the tragedy.