Pretoria - Three women were killed in an accident involving a City of Tshwane bus and a taxi on the corner of Kgosi Mampuru and Madiba streets in the CBD on Thursday afternoon.
Tshwane metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said it was alleged that the brakes of the taxi failed, resulting in the collision with the bus.
“Three women from the taxi, carrying 16 passengers, were declared dead on the scene. The other 13 injured occupants in the taxi, including the driver, were rushed to the nearest hospital,” Mahamba said.
“The female bus driver and one passenger were also rushed to hospital. They were the only two people in the bus. The possibility of further fatalities has not been ruled out.”
Mahamba said an inquest docket of culpable homicide was opened by the police, and urged members of the public who might have witnessed the crash to contact their nearest police station.
MMC for roads and transport Sheila Lynn Senkubuge, who visited the crash scene, said she was very saddened by this unfortunate and painful accident.
This was especially so because the deceased were women and the incident had happened during Women’s Month when women were celebrated.
Senkubuge would send condolences to the families of the deceased, Mahamba said. “She further wishes a speedy recovery to the injured,” he added.