Pretoria - Nine people were tragically killed last night, when a sedan and a light delivery vehicle collided head-on, along the R35 Road between Morgenzon and Amersfoort.
Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson Moeti Mmusi said the nine travellers’ lives were “abruptly brought to a tragic end last night, at around 10pm”.
He said the victims were certified dead at the scene, and they include drivers of both vehicles and their passengers.
“The cause of the crash will be determined through a probe that is currently underway,” said Moeti.
“However, dangerous overtaking may have been the cause of this collision.”
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Vusi Shongwe, has once again expressed concerned about the “seemingly unending loss of life on the road”.
According to Shongwe, moving traffic violations such as dangerous overtaking and excessive speeding have been identified as some of the major causes of deadly crashes during the previous holiday seasons.
"Head on collisions, excessive speeding and pedestrian fatalities remain some of the challenges that we will focus on this holiday season. We are however appealing to road users to work with us in reducing crashes on the road,” said Shongwe.
He also called on people who will be travelling to various festivities across the province to obey road rules, and to drive with great diligence to save their own lives and that of other road users.
Last week, six people were killed on the N4 toll road between Middelburg and Emalahleni on Sunday morning.
“The crash happened when a (Ford Everest) sport utility vehicle (SUV) seemingly lost control, veered off the N4 toll road bridge before landing on the adjacent R35 Road. All six occupants - the driver and five passengers – died at the scene on impact,” the Mpumalanga department of community safety, security and liaison said.
The deceased travellers were five men and one woman.
Authorities said the cause of the tragic crash was being investigated.
IOL