Pretoria - The National Taxi Alliance (NTA) and its affiliate structures – Topica, Limpopo NTA and Groblersdal Taxi Association – expressed its sadness over the horrific crash which happened in Motetema near Groblersdal where at least 16 were killed.
The deceased include school children who were travelling in a taxi.
“Our deepest sympathy and condolences to the bereaved families and we wish the injured passengers a speedy recovery.
“Our leadership in NTA and the Groblersdal Taxi association are busy formulating our collective response to this unprecedented calamitous human tragedy,” said NTA national spokesperson Theo Malele.
“The leadership will be visiting the bereaved families at their homes and the injured who are in hospital,” he said.
Earlier, Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha sent condolences to families who lost loved ones in the horrific crash on Friday morning.
The crash happened on the R579 in Motetema, near Groblersdal at around 7am.
“We would want to convey our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased, and we would want to wish those who got injured, a speedy recovery,” said Mathabatha.
“We also learnt about another (crash) that happened in Mankweng,” he said.
At least three people were reportedly killed in the Mankweng crash.
Mathabatha said the province will be seeking spiritual intervention amid the deadly crashes and bloodshed.
“Like we said in the State of the Province address, we will be convening a prayer day where we will be praying for all these disasters, for all these tragedies so that at the end of the day, the Almighty will be able to listen to us and we can be able to clear some of these accidents, or to reduce them,” he said.
The Limpopo premier has committed to visit families of the deceased.
Limpopo Transport and Community Safety said the Motetema crash happened when a minibus taxi collided head-on with a truck and another minibus taxi after overtaking unsafely.
Law enforcement officers at the scene on Friday cited reckless driving as a possible cause of the crash.
One of the minibus taxis involved in the crash was transporting learners to school.
The drivers of the two taxis and six learners are among the 16 who died. Four passengers with serious injuries were transported to a nearby health facility for medical attention.
Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Florence Radzilani has also sent condolences to the bereaved families.
Radzilani also expressed “serious concern” about the number of fatalities recorded across the province.
IOL