Kimberley - Fifteen people have died after a taxi slammed into an overloaded bakkie on the N18 in the Northern Cape.
Twelve people died at the scene of the accident on the N18 between Taung and Hartswater, with several bodies scattered across the road while others were seen floating in the canal next to the road.
Most of the victims were flung off the back of the bakkie and several bodies were picked up several metres from the point of impact.
The thirteenth victim died while being admitted to hospital while two others died in hospital on Sunday.
Twenty-four other people, including the driver of the taxi, were injured in the crash, Northern Cape police said.
The victims were admitted to hospital with critical injuries, including severe head trauma and multiple injuries. All of them were initially transported to the Hartswater Hospital, but some were later transferred to Taung and Klerksdorp for medical treatment, as the Hartswater facility was unable to cope with the influx of accident victims.
The accident happened on Saturday afternoon between 3 and 4pm.
According to one eyewitness, a 6-year-old boy was decapitated during the crash.
Emergency personnel had to use the Jaws of Life to free several trapped passengers inside the taxi and the rescue operation apparently took close to two hours to complete.
According to reports, it appears as if the bakkie failed to stop at a stop street and was hit on the side by the taxi, which was travelling on the N18 from Hartswater in the direction of Taung. The bakkie was apparently coming from Magagong, a small settlement next to the N18.
Police spokesman Lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana said the Hartswater police were investigating a case of culpable homicide following the accident.
“The accident happened when a bakkie, which was loaded with passengers, was involved in an accident with a taxi. During our investigation at the accident scene, four bodies were retrieved from the canal. Twelve people were certified dead on the scene and one died later,” Tawana said.
He added that all the victims had not yet been identified and that it was also still unclear how many people were initially travelling in each of the vehicles when the crash occurred.
“We are also not sure if all the victims have been accounted for and the police are still on the scene trying to gather more information that could lead to the identification of the victims and on how the crash happened,” he said yesterday.
The driver of the bakkie, a 59-year-old man, has been arrested and faces a charge of culpable homicide. He will appear in the Hartswater Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Northern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison Martha Bartlett reacted with sadness on Sunday after receiving news about the accident.
“We wish to extend our heartfelt and deepest condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones. The Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison is busy investigating the incident and we want to assure the families that the necessary actions will be taken.
“The road safety of all commuters is not the sole responsibility of government, but also that of all fellow road users. Overloaded vehicles and vehicles not roadworthy can not be allowed on our roads. We are embarking on vigorous law enforcement campaigns that will assist us in ensuring that all our roads across the Province are safe, especially during Transport Month in October,” Bartlett said.
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