Pretoria – As traffic intensified massively on South Africa’s freeways on Christmas eve, at least five people have been killed and two others critically injured in a head-on collision on the N1 south near Middlefontein in Limpopo’s Waterburg District.
Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya was at the scene and confirmed the horrific crash which caused the N1 to be closed between the Kranskop Toll Plaza and Middlefontein.
She said traffic was then diverted to the R101.
“It is alleged that a Toyota SUV got a tyre burst and collided head-on with oncoming Mini Cooper and a Hyundai SUV. Four people were killed instantly on impact and the fifth died on the way to the hospital,” said Lerule-Ramakhanya.
“Four of the deceased were in the [Toyota] Avanza and the fifth victim was in the Mini Cooper.”
Lerule-Ramakhanya appealed to motorists to check the tyre pressure on their vehicles and to take regular breaks on the long distances.
“We have survivors at this scene, and they are confirming that they were all buckled up. When the car had an impact, that did not change anything. We want to say to all the road users, ’please check your tyres before you leave. Do not be overloaded in the car’,” she said.
In what has been a bloody week leading up to Christmas Day. In the Western Cape, an ANC leader in the Central Karoo is the latest to die in a deadly week on the N1, where more than 17 people have been killed just this week in road accidents.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson Deanna February said they responded to a fatal motor vehicle crash on the N1 between Beaufort West and Leeu Gamka at 12.50am on Thursday. The incident involved a light motor vehicle and a minibus.
February said the incident involved 10 patients. Unfortunately, six were killed while one patient sustained serious injuries and two got off with minor injuries.
“One patient was transported to Beaufort West Hospital and one refused transport. Two ambulances, a rescue vehicle and two response vehicles were on scene,” she said.
ANC provincial spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni said they were saddened and in mourning over the death of the party’s Central Karoo treasurer Ronnie Klink.
Mtsweni said Klink, his son and daughter, and a third person died in the head-on collision.
IOL