Four women tragically lost their lives in a head-on collision between a sedan and a truck on the R23 road between Volksrust and Perdekop in Mpumalanga.
Four other people sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious. They include the driver and three passengers in the sedan.
Mandla Chauke, spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson, said the deceased were also passengers in the sedan.
“The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries,” he said.
All the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital in Standerton after the accident on Friday evening.
Chauke added that the cause of the collision was still under investigation; however, reckless and negligent driving could not be ruled out at this stage.
Meanwhile, Jackie Macie, Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, has extended condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
“We are once again pleading with motorists to play their part by using the road responsibly. We should all contribute towards making the roads safer by always obeying the rules of the road and driving with maximum concentration. These crashes are not only costly in terms of human lives, but they also affect the country’s economy. Billions of rand are spent on compensating victims through the Road Accident Fund,” said MEC Macie.
The MEC added that the R23 was one of the priority routes in the province due to fatal crashes recorded during previous holiday seasons.
“It carries significant traffic volumes during holidays and long weekends.”
Sinenhlanhla Masilela
iol.co.za
