Fifteen people have died and 37 have been injured in a crash involving a truck and a bus on the M17 in Patryshoek, near the Bundu Inn resort in Tshwane, just after 5am on Friday.

Tshwane emergency services spokesperson Thabo Mabaso said the cause of the accident is being investigated by law enforcement agencies.

He said emergency services personnel arrived at the scene to find a bus and truck had collided head-on, with some patients trapped inside both vehicles.

“Tshwane firefighters, Gauteng emergency medical services and private ambulance services started with treatment and extrication of the injured.”

Mabaso said paramedics declared 15 patients dead on the scene, while 37 patients were transported to Dr George Mukhari, Steve Biko and Kalafong hospitals.

“Of the 15 deceased, eight were females. Paramedics found 26 patients had sustained minor to moderate injuries, four sustained moderate to critical injuries and seven suffered critical injuries,” Mabaso said.

He said the M17 road remains closed between the N4 on-ramp and off-ramp and the K8 Rosslyn to allow recovery of the deceased, the bus and truck and for on-scene investigations.

“The closure is anticipated to last more than five hours.”

TimesLIVE