At least 15 people killed on East Cape roads

At least 15 people, including several children, were killed and many others injured in road accidents in the Eastern Cape over the Easter weekend, a provincial transport official said.

Dozens of people were also arrested in the Buffalo City Metro and King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality for offences ranging from drunk driving and obstruction to driving an unlicensed motor vehicle, jumping a red traffic light, overloading and driving without a valid driver’s licence.

Eastern Cape provincial transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said at least nine of the fatalities happened in two crashes in Makhanda and

Mqanduli on Saturday.

He said five people were pronounced dead after a fully loaded minibus taxi crashed into a stationary heavy-duty truck carrying cement bags on the N2 between Peddie and Makhanda at about 6am.

“The minibus taxi was travelling towards Peddie when it came across a stationary truck,” Binqose said.

“The taxi [driver] saw the truck late due to poor visibility. In attempting to avoid the collision, [the taxi] side-rammed the truck. Unfortunately, five people died on the scene.”

Among the dead were two children. About 12 people who sustained minor injuries were taken to Settlers Hospital for medical attention.

Binqose said the truck driver escaped unharmed while the driver of the taxi was among the injured.

Meanwhile, four people were killed and four others injured after an SUV overturned on the R411 in Mqanduli.

“In this latest accident, a Toyota Fortuner with eight occupants lost control and overturned. Four male adults, including the driver, died on the scene,” Binqose said.

The injured, a man and three women, were rushed to Zithulele Hospital.

Yesterday, one person died and two suffered minor injuries when an SUV collided with a truck on the R72 between Igoda Mouth and Kidds Beach at about 4am.

The driver of the SUV reportedly died on the scene.

Medical rescuers had to use the jaws of life to extract the body from the wreckage.

Two people in the truck suffered minor injuries.

The accident caused a traffic jam and by 7am traffic officials were still clearing the scene.

At least 26 people were arrested for drunk driving in Buffalo City by Sunday, with most of the arrests taking place in Ntabozuko, Zwelitsha, Bhisho and Qonce.

A total of R21,300 was collected through fines issued at roadblocks.

In the Mthatha area, four suspects aged between 32 and 46 were arrested for possession of drugs with an estimated street value of R45,000.

One of the suspects was also allegedly found in possession of a magazine with three rounds of ammunition.

KSD municipal spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza said one of the suspects was arrested at the Northcrest taxi rank.

Fines worth more than R111,650 were also issued for various traffic violations including driving without number plates, overloading, skipping traffic lights, driving without a valid licence and driving a vehicle with smooth tyres.

Mampoza said a total of 46 tickets had been issued to offending motorists.

On Thursday, in a joint operation involving several government departments and law enforcement agencies, a stolen vehicle was recovered at a roadblock in Macleantown.

Authorities also seized a vehicle carrying counterfeit goods, including a large quantity of medicine.