A horror crash on the R102 in the Isipingo area, south of Durban, claimed the lives of 11 people yesterday morning, including a 13-year-old pupil, after a minibus taxi and a truck collided head-on Lotus Park. The collision occurred just off the M35 and left the roadway littered with wreckage as emergency services rushed to find several passengers trapped inside the mangled taxi, with others critically injured, according to ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson. Firefighters and paramedics worked for several hours using specialised rescue equipment to free those trapped inside the vehicle.
Emergency teams later managed to extricate the taxi driver, who was transported to hospital in a critical condition. Witnesses at the scene alleged that the truck driver attempted to make a U-turn, resulting in a head-on collision with the taxi. KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said preliminary reports from the Road Traffic Inspectorate confirmed that 11 people had died, while seven others were seriously injured and taken to hospital.
He said a team from his office had been dispatched to locate and support the families of the victims. This accident occurred after we recorded a historic 18% decrease in fatalities during the festive season. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims,” said Duma. Following an on-site assessment, he said the truck involved had worn-out tyres, while the minibus taxi driver’s professional driving permit had expired in 2023.
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