Crash between minibus taxi and bus claims lives of seven people in Eastern Cape

Seven people have died and several others were injured in a tragic collision involving a minibus taxi and a bus in the Eastern Cape, according to the Eastern Cape’s transport department.

According to Unathi Binqose, a spokesperson for the department, the crash happened when a fully loaded minibus taxi carrying workers from KwaNobuhle in Gqeberha to town made a U-turn in front of an Algoa Bus that was coming the other way.

At the time, there was only the driver on the bus, which hit the passenger side of the taxi. “A total of 18 people received assistance at the scene,” Binqose said on Monday.

“Two individuals sustained serious injuries, while others suffered injuries of varying severity and were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment.”

Emergency services got there quickly, gave medical help, and took the injured to the hospital. Since then, the authorities have started looking into what caused the crash.

This accident comes after a terrible one in which a female traffic officer died when a state vehicle hit a long-distance bus head-on on the N2 highway in Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape, a week ago.

The officer, who was returning to her station after working on an accident scene earlier, died instantly when her vehicle collided with a bus owned by Intercape.

The accident did not hurt any of the bus passengers or the driver.

The South African Police Service in Jeffreys Bay has opened a culpable homicide case for further investigation.

In a separate development on Monday, there has been a serious crash on the N12 westbound at Putfontein Road in Johannesburg, and two lanes have been closed to traffic.

Emergency services are on the scene, and this area is very congested because of the incident.

The Ekurhuleni traffic department says that traffic is already slowing down a long way before the scene, and delays are likely to get worse as more cars arrive.

Drivers are told to be careful when they get close to the area, stay a safe distance behind other cars, and be ready for sudden stops.

“If possible, consider using alternative routes to avoid the backlog. Allow extra travel time for your journey, and stay tuned for further updates as conditions in the area may change quickly,” said the authorities.

ALSO READ: Head-on collision claims life of on-duty female traffic officer

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