Baby among six dead in crash

SIX people, including an eight-month-old baby, died and 14 others were injured when a department of health patient transport vehicle overturned near Sterkstroom yesterday.

Five of the dead were patients while the sixth was the driver, who was transporting patients from Empilisweni District Hospital in Sterkspruit to Frontier Hospital in Komani and East London’s Frere Hospital.

The injured were taken to Frontier Hospital.

Speaking from her Frontier Hospital bed, survivor Matsidiso Mdalane said she had been on her way to Komani for an eye checkup.

“As we were about to reach the Sterkstroom T-junction, I heard a noise and people started to scream,” she said.

Mdalane said when she opened her eyes, she was in pain and people were crying.

“I noticed that some of them were not moving and I could not move. My body was in pain and I could not breathe properly,” she said.

“I am still in pain and now I can’t get out of this bed. I think my ribs are broken and I can’t look sideways because of the pain in my neck.”

No other vehicles were involved in the accident.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Police spokeswoman Captain Namhla Mdleleni said the Sterkstroom police were investigating a case of culpable homicide. —