A total of 12 people died in a sideswipe crash involving a truck and a bus transporting political party supporters on the R34 near Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday night.
Provincial transport and human settlements MEC Siboniso Duma received a report shortly after midnight informing him 10 passengers on the bus had been killed. At 5am the death toll rose to 12, he said on Tuesday morning.
He said based on a preliminary accident report from the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), after a head-on collision the truck struck the side of the bus.
“It is reported 10 passengers are seriously injured and are being taken to hospitals, 22 passengers are slightly injured and six passengers were not injured.”
The truck and bus drivers survived and were taken to hospital.
“The road has been closed to enable emergency services to provide care to the surviving passengers. At 2am, the scene is active, and we request motorists on the R34 Vryheid to be patient.
“We have agreed with the RTI team that we will work with the Road Traffic Management Corporation and the police as part of a comprehensive investigation.”
