A deadly crash on the R59 near Sasolburg has claimed four lives after a Mitsubishi Colt bakkie, earlier seen driving erratically, collided with a Toyota Starlet and another vehicle on Monday afternoon, 20 October 2025.
The accident occurred on the R59 Vaalpark offramp, just before the N1 junction from Sasolburg, a busy stretch frequently packed with commuters and heavy trucks.
Reports indicate the Colt bakkie lost control and struck the Toyota Starlet and a second vehicle, resulting in a violent impact that left four people dead at the scene. The deceased were occupants from both the bakkie and the Starlet.
FS Emergency Medical Services Spokesperson Sipho Towa confirmed the accident.
He said emergency services arrived swiftly but could do little to save those trapped in the wreckage.
One survivor, critically injured, was stabilised on site before being airlifted to hospital. Debris was scattered across the highway, forcing a complete closure while authorities cleared the scene and launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Read | Truck crashes off bridge on R59 onto Michelle Ave in Alberton
A four-minute, fifteen-second video recorded earlier in the day shows the same Colt bakkie moving erratically along the R59, swerving across lanes and appearing unstable. It remains unclear what caused the driver to behave in that manner.
The motorist who filmed the video says he phoned 112 at around 15:53 and was transferred to Sasolburg SAPS — nearly 90 minutes before the crash. “I told them the driver was going to cause a serious accident,” he said. “But nothing was done. Then I saw the news two days later — the same vehicle had crashed, and people had died.”
Photos from the crash scene show the Colt bakkie and Toyota Starlet mangled beyond recognition.
Watch the video below:
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