Joy turned into grief after seven wedding guests died in a horrific accident while returning home from the event in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday night.

The dead were among 13 guests who were travelling in a bakkie from Vryheid to Ngome on the R618.

According to road traffic officials an argument ensued between the driver of the bakkie and a front seat passenger‚ which caused him to him lose control and veer off the road.

Some of the passengers were flung out of the vehicle.

Kwanele Ncalane‚ provincial transport spokesman‚ said five people died on the scene‚ while nine others were critically injured.

Two of the injured died today (Monday)‚ bringing the death toll to seven.

The driver‚ who escaped with minor injuries‚ was arrested after he tested positive for alcohol consumption.

According to the Road Traffic Management he was charged with seven counts of culpable homicide and is expected to appear in the Vryheid Magistrates Court tomorrow (Tuesday).

“The driver was way beyond the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.05g per 100ml‚” said Ncalane.

Transport MEC Willies Mchunu said the accident “is a classic example of the scale of the damage drinking and driving is causing in our society and in road fatalities”.

Mchunu reiterated his call to drivers to comply with rules of the road and avoid overloading.

“We welcome the arrest of the driver who was found to have taken alcohol and will await the findings of the investigation‚” he said.

- Meanwhile 15 people‚ including a toddler‚ escaped death in Howick‚ outside Pietermaritzburg yesterday‚ when the taxi they were travelling in crashed.

Netcare 911 spokesman Chris Botha said the cause of the accident would be established following a police investigation.

Botha said the two-year-old and another passenger had suffered severe injuries.