MPUMALANGA — The death toll from a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a bus on the R39 road between Standerton and Morgenzon has risen to 10, according to provincial authorities.
Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson Moeti Mmusi confirmed the latest figures, extending condolences to the affected families.
“The latest information that we have just received now is that there’s been 10 fatalities,” Mmusi said. “But the scene is still active. There’s still assessment that has been done by our inspectors that we have deployed to do the proper assessment.”
While the cause of the crash remains under investigation, Mmusi indicated that negligence and reckless driving are suspected.
“We don’t want to preempt as to what happened,” he stated. “But we strongly believe that there’s been one between the two drivers who has been on the road.”
Mmusi called on motorists to exercise caution and adhere to speed limits, noting that the prescribed speed on the country’s roads is 120 kilometres per hour.
“This is a really tragic accident which I think we should not be proud of because these are lives that have been lost,” he said. “We also wish speedy recovery to the victims that have survived in this accident.”
According to preliminary information, most of the deceased and injured were from Standerton and were travelling to work. Family members have gathered at the scene, which remains active as inspectors continue their assessment.
Mmusi confirmed that he plans to visit the scene personally to conduct the department’s own assessment. He also expressed appreciation for the rapid response from emergency teams, the Department of Health, and the South African Police Service, who arrived promptly to transport survivors to appropriate hospitals.
