5 killed in collision between bus and taxi
THE police have registered a case of culpable homicide following an accident yesterday involving a minibus taxi and a Golden Arrow bus.
Five people – three men and two women, aged between 25 and 40 – were declared dead at the scene, at the corner of Symphony Way and Sonata Way in Belhar.
Ten fellow passengers, from the minibus taxi, were taken to nearby hospitals, according to the police.
The taxi was travelling from Delft to Bellville while the bus was travelling towards the Stellenbosch Arterial.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “According to reports, the white Quantum taxi came from Delft and drove along Sonata Way and the Golden Arrow bus was travelling on Symphony Way, direction Stellenbosch Arterial. The intersection investigation is ongoing.”
SA National Taxi Council spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana said the circumstances around the accident were not yet clear. “It’s alleged that the driver of the taxi skipped a red traffic light before colliding with the bus.”
Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie’s spokesperson, Ntomboxolo MakobaSomdaka, said: “I would like to express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the families of the five people who sadly lost their lives when a minibus taxi (collided) with a bus.
“We appeal to all enforcement authorities to do a thorough investigation of this tragic crash.
“The provincial regulatory entity of the Mobility Department will investigate the matter to determine whether the minibus taxi has an active operating licence linked to it.”