Witness Narrates How Jackknifed Truck Slid Into Taxi’s Path, Killing 11 in Isipingo

A witness who was at the scene of Thursday morning’s fatal crash in Isipingo has narrated the split-second events that led to a truck sliding into the path of an oncoming Toyota Quantum minibus taxi, killing 11 people.

Speaking to SA Trucker, the eyewitness said the crash occurred shortly after 7:30am while it was lightly raining, leaving the road surface wet.

According to the witness, the truck was travelling towards Durban while the minibus taxi was travelling in the opposite direction.

“I heard the screeching of tyres and turned my head,” the witness said. “The truck was already in a jackknife and sliding across the road, moving into the right-hand side.”

The witness explained that before the truck could regain control, it continued sliding directly into the path of the oncoming taxi. “In a split second, the taxi crashed into the side of the truck while it was still sliding,” the witness added.

Both vehicles were forced off the roadway by the impact. The minibus taxi was left crushed between the truck and a tree, trapping several occupants inside the wreckage.

Emergency services arrived moments later, confirming the extent of the tragedy previously reported. Advanced Life Support paramedics declared 11 people dead at the scene, while seven others sustained serious to critical injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals for further treatment.

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Firefighters from the eThekwini Fire Department used specialised rescue equipment to free those trapped inside the taxi as Road Traffic Inspectorate and Metro Police officers closed the R102 to allow emergency operations and a full investigation.

Following an inspection, law enforcement authorities found that the truck had worn-out tyres.

And, the taxi driver’s permit had expired in 2023, and his vehicle was found to be heavily overloaded.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the crash, but wet road conditions are expected to form part of the investigation.