Five men were killed in a head-on collision on the P97 Road between Perdekop and Amersfoort in Mpumalanga, on Thursday night.
The crash involved a light motor vehicle and a sports utility vehicle (SUV). The deceased, all male, included both drivers and passengers from the two vehicles, police said.
Four other occupants sustained serious injuries and are receiving medical treatment in hospital.
The cause of the collision is currently under investigation. However, authorities say reckless and negligent driving cannot be ruled out at this stage.
Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, has urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads to prevent further loss of life.
“Our roads have become killing fields largely due to human behaviour,” Macie said.
“We are appealing to all road users to respond positively to the government’s road safety messages to spare lives. We should also strengthen efforts to punish reckless driver behaviour to lend more credence to our road safety messages.”
Macie also extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
IOL
Se-Anne Rall
iol.co.za
