Alfred Moselakgomo

Alfred Moselakgomo

Five people believed to be Mozambicans were killed in Mpumalanga when a bakkie carrying 27 passengers overturned.

The driver lost control of the vehicle on the N4 highway between Nelspruit and Machadodorp on Friday.

Apart from the five who died at the scene, three passengers were critically injured, seven of them sustained serious injuries and 12 were slightly injured.

David Nkambule, spokesman for the provincial roads and transport department, said the bakkie was travelling from Mozambique to Johannesburg.

"It is suspected that the passengers are Mozambican citizens," he said.

"We urge road users to obey the rules of the road at all times to curb road accidents," Nkambule said.

He said drivers should always check the roadworthiness of their vehicles - and not travel at high speed or overload - which were the usual factors that caused accidents.

The injured were taken to the Rob Ferreira Hospital in Nelspruit.