Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has urged motorists travelling during the festive season to embark on their journeys during the day, saying this enhances alertness and visibility.
His comments come after 13 people were killed when a truck and a taxi collided in Free State early on Monday morning. Other people, mostly children, were wounded and are receiving treatment at the Pelonomi Trauma Hospital in Bloemfontein.
The emergency medical services said the head-on collision happened on the N1 between Verkeerdevlei and Winburg just after 3am.
“I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences to the relatives and friends of those who lost their lives due to a fatal head-on collision which took place on the N1 in the early hours of Monday. It is incredibly saddening that we continue to mourn the loss of loved ones as a result of road carnage,” Mbalula said.
Ten people including five women, three children and two men were initially declared dead on the scene. While emergency crews were busy combing through the scene, another body was discovered trapped beneath the taxi. Another three people succumbed to their injuries later in the day.
Mbalula implored South Africans to exercise caution when driving at night.
“Road accident statistics continue to highlight that a lot of fatal crashes occur during the night. I would therefore like to continue to echo the importance of daytime driving, especially for long-distance trips.”
The minister added that law-enforcement agencies are investigating the cause of the accident following the arrest of the truck driver.
Monday’s accident follows another horrific crash in November which involved a bus and a truck on the N8 near Botshabelo outside Bloemfontein in Free State. Nine people were killed and many others were left injured.
Last week, Mbalula launched the 2022 festive season road safety campaign at the Heidelberg weighbridge in Gauteng.
The campaign, which aims to prioritise and promote road safety on the roads during the holidays, is a collaboration between different spheres of government, transport entities, private sector organisations, non-government organisations and key stakeholders.
Also read: https://sundayworld.co.za/news/number-of-people-killed-in-horrific-free-state-crash-rises-to-13/
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here
