Horror crash kills 19 family members in North West

A head-on crash between a Toyota Quantum and a truck in North West has claimed the lives of 19 family members.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation said the accident will be investigated by its crash and reconstruction unit.

“The RTMC is sending investigators to the scene to establish the exact cause of the crash. All we know at this stage is that it happened around 9.30pm near Schweizer-Reneke in North West and involved a truck and Quantum minibus,” said RTMC spokesperson, Simon Zwane.

Zwane said more details will be known later.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transport and community safety said six people were killed in a head-on collision involving an Isuzu loading van and a Ford Sedan on the R518 road in Lephalale in Limpopo's Waterberg district on Saturday night.

“It is alleged that the driver of the sedan travelling from Lephalale to Shongwani, lost control of the vehicle and collided head-on with the Isuzu van. Five occupants in the sedan, including the driver, were killed on impact and the driver of the loading van was also certified dead on the scene. Two passengers who escaped with serious injuries were rushed to the hospital,” said the department's spokesperson, Mike Maringa.

Maringa said the department has also recorded three fatal accidents in Mopani district between Friday and Saturday.

He said the first incident was reported at Khashani village where a seven-year-old boy was hit by a car outside the school premises.

“It is alleged that the operator of a scholar transport vehicle reversed into the child who was crossing the road and killed him instantly. Another accident was reported in the Tzaneen area on the R71 at Magoebaskloof, where a 36-year-old male was hit by a Suzuki Sedan while crossing the road. The other accident was reported on the R36 road at Mokgolobotho where a male pedestrian was hit by a Kia Sedan when crossing the road,” Maringa said.

Limpopo transport and community safety MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya has sent condolences to the families and has called on pedestrians to ensure that they use designated crossing points and to also avoid walking next to busy roads, especially in the evening.

TimesLIVE