Eleven people have lost their lives on the roads in the Eastern Cape since Monday.
The department of transportation in the Eastern Cape confirmed the deaths following the ongoing severe rains and sporadic low visibility.
The department said that two accidents have claimed the lives of 11 people.
First, a head-on collision between a sedan and an Avanza on the R67 route between Fort Beaufort and Seymour resulted in seven fatalities. Five other people were left critically wounded.
Heavy rains and low visibility
The five people travelling in a sedan — all males — died on the scene, while two occupants in an Avanza — a male driver and a female passenger — died on the spot, according to Unathi Binqose, the spokesperson for the department.
“The injured were rushed to a hospital in Fort Beaufort for medical attention,” said Binqose.
“A culpable homicide docket, not a case, has been opened, as both drivers are among the deceased.”
In another head-on collision involving an Avanza and a bakkie on the R346 road near Qonce, heading towards Stutterheim, four people were killed.
The victims were two adult males and two children who were travelling in an Avanza.
Since many parts of the province are experiencing strong downpours with intermittent low visibility, road users and motorists are advised to exercise extreme caution when using the roads in the province.
Floods disrupt schooling in Western Cape
“This is making for less-than-ideal driving conditions as roads are wet and slippery, with threats of mudslides and flooding as well.
“A cloudburst in the early hours of this morning led to the temporary closure of the N10 road near Cradock as flood water swept off the road, even articulated trucks.”
Earlier in April, level-nine weather conditions in the Western Cape claimed the life of a security guard when a tree collapsed on top of him in Paarl.
The Winelands experienced flooding, and the premier, Alan Winde, instructed that all the schools in the province be closed until the weather settled.
