Six dead in separate accidents

FOUR people died and 15 were injured in an accident involving a minibus taxi and a sedan on the N2 highway between Hemingway and Gonubie near East London yesterday.

Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Bhinqosa said the drivers of both vehicles were among the survivors.

Bhinqosa said both vehicles were travelling from East London when the collision occurred.

He said the taxi was loaded and the sedan had three occupants.

The department called on motorists to be extra cautious driving in the area because roads were wet and slippery across the province as a result of persistent, steady rains.

A case of culpable homicide was opened.

Also yesterday, two people died and five were injured when a bakkie rolled along the R26, about 10km outside Clocolan, Free State.

When paramedics arrived at the scene, they found a badly injured young girl lying partially beneath the bakkie, while a man was found lying a short distance away.

Five other people were still inside the truck.

“Medics assessed the patients and found that the girl lying under the bakkie had already succumbed to her injuries. Nothing could be done for her and she was declared dead,” said ER24 spokesperson, Russel Meiring.

“Six other patients were tended to. Four patients, including two boys aged between 1 and 2, had sustained critical injuries, while two other patients had sustained minor to moderate injuries.”

Local authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.