Anxious wait for residents at Dunoon taxi rank after 8 die in crash

Taxi rank manager Sivuyile Chaka said that there was anxiety among residents and possible family and friends of accident victims. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency(ANA)

Taxi rank manager Sivuyile Chaka said that there was anxiety among residents and possible family and friends of accident victims. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Oct 27, 2020

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Cape Town - There were scenes of anxiety and distress at Dunoon taxi rank after it became apparent that the minibus taxi involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle had been travelling from Dunoon to Melkbosstrand. Eight people were killed and several others were injured.

Taxi rank manager Sivuyile Chaka said that there was anxiety among residents and possible family and friends of accident victims after news about the accident had reached the community.

He said residents were frustrated with the police’s slow response in opening up access to identifying the victims of the crash which occurred in the early hours of yesterday morning en-route to Melkbosstrand.

Chaka said: “Residents have been coming to the rank since this morning, wanting to know who was in the taxi involved in the incident.

“Unfortunately there was not much that we could tell them, since we don’t know much ourselves.

“We went to the scene as soon as we heard to try and assist the police in identifying the victims. However, they turned us away, saying that they would contact us after four hours.

“We have still not received that call,” added Chaka.

The main highway leading into Melkbosstrand was lit with sirens and flashing lights as several emergency service teams were rushing to attend the scene of the head-on-collision on the N7 yesterday morning.

A total of 21 people were attended to on the scene. Unfortunately five men and three women were fatally injured and died shortly after the incident, an ER24 statement said.

Eight people were declared dead and 13 others were taken to various hospitals in the metropole.

“The driver of the light motor vehicle was among the eight people declared dead on the scene, while the taxi driver was seriously injured and taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

"A culpable homicide case was registered for investigation.

"The bodies of the deceased must still be identified.”

Cape Argus