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Siboniso Duma, an official from the provincial transport department, said that according to preliminary information, 11 people, including a schoolchild, died at the scene. According to Duma, eyewitnesses alleged that the truck driver made a sudden U-turn, causing the head-on collision with the minibus taxi.
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New Delhi: At least 11 people were killed in a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a truck in South Africa on Thursday. Local government officials and emergency services confirmed the accident. This incident comes just a week after a similar road accident claimed the lives of 14 schoolchildren.
Where and How the Accident Happened
Thursday's accident occurred in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, near the city of Durban. Siboniso Duma, an official from the provincial transport department, said that according to preliminary information, 11 people, including a schoolchild, died at the scene. According to Duma, eyewitnesses alleged that the truck driver made a sudden U-turn, causing the head-on collision with the minibus taxi.
Condition of the Injured
Gareth Jamieson, a spokesperson for the private ambulance service ALS Paramedics, said that 11 people died in the accident and several others were seriously injured. He said the driver of the minibus taxi was trapped in the wreckage and was in critical condition.
Series of Recent Accidents
This accident follows another fatal crash a few days earlier, in which 14 children were killed in a head-on collision between a minibus taxi carrying schoolchildren and a truck.
Driver Arrested in Previous Accident
The driver of the minibus taxi involved in the January 19 accident near Johannesburg was arrested. According to authorities, the driver was charged with 14 counts of murder because he was driving at high speed and recklessly while overtaking a line of vehicles, leading to the collision with the truck.
State prosecutors said the 22-year-old driver was initially charged with culpable homicide, which was later upgraded to murder charges. Minibus taxis are the primary mode of public transportation for ordinary people in South Africa.
According to estimates, approximately 70 percent of commuters in the country rely on minibus taxis for their daily travel. However, frequent accidents have raised serious concerns about the safety of this transportation system.
