Six people including an infant were tragically killed in a head-on collision between an articulated truck and a minibus taxi on the N1 near Louis Trichardt on Friday morning.
The horrific crash occurred near the Witvlag bypass, close to Louis Trichardt in Limpopo.
Among the deceased are passengers and the minibus taxi driver, marking a devastating loss of life in the accident.
According to Tidimalo Chuene, the spokesperson for traffic authorities, the victims include an infant, two women, and three men.
A video of the crash scene showed total carnage with the truck’s load strewn all over the road.
Meanwhile, the affected stretch of road has been reopened for regular traffic flow after SA Trucker initially reported that it was closed following the accident.
Chuene expressed suspicion that driver fatigue may have played a role in causing this tragic incident.
“It is reported that a Toyota Quantum collided head-on with a truck, resulting in the tragic loss of six lives, including two women, one infant, and three males, including the taxi’s driver,” Chuene stated.
He continued saying, “The driver and passenger from the truck sustained injuries in the collision. We suspect that fatigue might have been a contributing factor in this accident. As a department, we are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident and extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased.”
Authorities are likely to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the precise causes of the collision, aiming to prevent such tragedies in the future.