Kyle Venktess

Five people were killed and 14 were injured in three separate accidents yesterday.

In Pinetown, two women were killed and 14 were in- jured when a taxi crashed in Otto Volek Road.

Netcare911 spokesman Chris Botha said a vehicle and the taxi had collided at the intersection of Otto Volek and Falcon roads, after which the taxi overturned and rolled several times.

“Emergency services arrived at the scene to find the crumpled remains of the taxi on its roof.

“A woman died on impact and three other people were critically injured.

“Five sustained serious injuries and a further seven sustained minor injuries,” Botha said.

Emergency personnel had to free some of the injured from the twisted metal of the taxi using the Jaws of Life.

One of the critically injured women died en route to hospital.

In another accident, two pedestrians were killed when they were struck by a taxi near King Shaka International Airport.

Botha said reports indicated that the men, in their thirties, were walking along the M65 the accident happened.

“Paramedics arrived at the scene and found that both men had died on impact due to the extensive injuries they sustained,” he said.

No one from the taxi was injured.

An eight-year-old girl was killed by a vehicle in Spine Road in Westville yesterday afternoon.

Botha said she was hit by a bakkie as she crossed the road. She died on impact.