Scores injured in Gauteng crashes

Seven people were injured this morning after a taxi t-boned a bakkie in Woodmead this morning on Old Pretoria Main Road and Maxwell Drive. Pic: Supplied Emer-G-Med

Seven people were injured this morning after a taxi t-boned a bakkie in Woodmead this morning on Old Pretoria Main Road and Maxwell Drive. Pic: Supplied Emer-G-Med

Published May 10, 2016

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Johannesburg - At least 65 people were injured in road accidents across Gauteng on Tuesday morning.

Forty six people were injured in Pretoria when a bus and truck crashed at about 6am on the R80 Mabopane freeway at Es’kia Mphahlele Drive.

Tshwane metro police department spokesman Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said six people were in a critical condition with 40 sustaining minor injuries.

“The truck driver was one of the seriously injured,” he said.

Tshwane emergency services spokesman Johan Pieterse was unable to confirm the exact cause of the crash, but said it appeared as though the truck crashed into the bus, causing it to overturn.

Pieterse said all those who were injured were travelling in the bus that was heading towards Joburg. As a result, a section of the freeway was temporarily closed.

This caused severe backlogs and commuters had to find alternative routes.

Pieterse could not immediately confirm whether the misty conditions caused the accident, saying that an investigation was under way.

Several motorists took to Twitter on Tuesday morning, sharing pictures of mist causing limited visibility.

Congestion in Woodmead was due to a taxi and bakkie crash on the Old Pretoria Road and Maxwell Drive.

Emer-G-Med spokesman Maxwell Cohen said seven people were injured in the accident which took place just before 7am.

“Paramedics were dispatched to the scene, arriving to find that a taxi had T-boned a bakkie, leaving it heavily damaged.”

“One of the patients required advanced life support care with the others sustaining minor to moderate injuries,” he said.

Although authorities were on the scene investigating, Cohen said it was alleged that the bakkie turned in front of the taxi, causing the collision.

In a third accident on Tuesday morning, 12 people were injured after a taxi landed in a ditch next to the R511, north of Joburg.

ER24 spokesman Russel Meiring said: “Occupants from the taxi were found walking around on the scene.”

“On assessment, paramedics found that 12 people had sustained minor to moderate injuries.

“Fortunately, no serious or fatal injuries were reported on the scene.”

Paramedics treated the injured people and transported them to various hospitals in the area for further treatment.

Meiring said it was believed that a tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

@Lanc_02

The Star

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