Durban — Six people were killed in northern KwaZulu-Natal when the driver of a minibus taxi is believed to have lost control of the vehicle, and it overturned.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said police are investigating six counts of culpable homicide after six people were certified dead after the taxi they were travelling in overturned on KwaMdakane Road in Dannhauser on Saturday morning.
“Reports indicate that the minibus taxi carrying 20 passengers was travelling from Ladysmith towards Mbabane Reserve when the driver allegedly lost control and the vehicle overturned,” Netshiunda said.
“Six people were confirmed dead at the scene, and other 14 passengers, including the driver, were taken to hospital for immediate medical attention.”
KwaZulu Private Ambulance (KZPA) spokesperson Chantelle Botha said the ambulance service responded to Stilldrift Road in Dannhauser for reports of a collision.
She said that when emergency services arrived at the scene, they found that a taxi had lost control and overturned multiple times.
“Paramedics quickly assessed the scene and found that two patients had sustained critical injuries and eight patients had sustained serious injuries,” Botha said.
She said the patients were treated on scene before being transported to hospital.
“Sadly, six occupants had sustained fatal injuries and had succumbed to their injuries before emergency services arrived,” Botha said.
The crash took place a day before October, which is also known as Transport Month.
The KZN Department of Transport is expected to launch 2023 October Transport Month on Tuesday, October 3.
Meanwhile, on Friday, September 29, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga together with the MECs of Transport, Roads, Infrastructure, Public Works and Community Safety and Liaison and departments and stakeholders in the sector launched the 18th instalment of the annual October Transport Month campaign under the theme: “Siyakha – we are building a better transport infrastructure to grow South Africa Together.”
Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga giving a keynote address at the launch of the 2023 October Transport Month.#OTMSA2023#SiyakhaWeAreBuilding pic.twitter.com/cEeMNsXynn
— Department of Transport (@Dotransport) September 29, 2023
“As we continue to provide world-class national roads, we have not shied away from the challenges posed by potholes on many of our provincial and municipal road networks. Through Sanral (South African National Roads Agency), and with the co-operation of the provinces and municipalities, the department rolled out Operation Vala Zonke, a national pothole repair programme which is aimed at road refurbishment, maintenance and the overall fixing of potholes in South Africa,” Chikunga said.
“This has also resulted in the establishment of a Roads War Room with a call centre to complement the Automated Pothole Public Reporting application developed to allocate, track, trace and activate interventions where necessary. This intervention ensures that road maintenance will be carried out as soon as it is reported, causing South Africans to travel a little easier when on our roads.”
[HAPPENING NOW] The National Annual October Transport Month Launch https://t.co/5YOsUulpGM
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