JOHANNESBURG – KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni said she was shocked and sad about the tragic accident that happened in the early hours of Saturday morning on the N3 between Peter Brown and Sanctuary Road in Pietermaritzburg
According to Arrive Alive, Netcare 911 responded to reports of a collision at 3:11am and that two trucks, a bakkie, minibus and five other cars were involved in a collision resulting in a fully laden taxi bursting into flames.
“According to preliminary reports a truck had initially overturned on the N3. As it was still awaiting to be removed from the freeway and as vehicles were travelling trying to divert from the overturned truck, a Toyota Quantum minibus went under the truck causing a chain reaction, which resulted in a nine car pile up,” the KwaZulu-Natal department of transport said.
It is believed that the Toyota Quantum minibus was travelling from Gauteng to Harding.
Tragically, the 17 occupants of the minibus were entrapped and caught alight with 16 passengers being burnt beyond recognition. Among the deceased included seven females and nine males who were all passengers in the minibus.
The one survivor, a seven-year-old boy, survived after his mother who was trapped was able to squeeze him through the window and handed him over to an Road Traffic Inspectorate officer, who had been attending to the truck that had overturned.
The boy was rushed to Northdale hospital and a RTI vehicle that the officer was travelling in was also burnt. Thankfully, the officer who saved the boy was unharmed.
“We are deeply saddened by this gruesome accident which has claimed so many lives. My heartfelt condolences to the families of all the victims. I also wish those who sustained injuries a speedy recovery, said Nkonyeni.
The Star