Seven killed in horror crash on Mpumalanga's N4 highway

Seven people have been killed in a horror crash on the N4 Toll Road between Belfast and Wonderfontein in Mpumalanga, on New Year's Eve.

MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, said two sedans collided head-on. The youngest deceased was a two-year-old child.

"Five of the deceased were occupants of one of the sedans, while the other two victims were in the other sedan. The deceased include drivers of both vehicles.

One seriously injured occupant in one of the vehicles was rushed to the nearest hospital," Macie said.

He added that an investigation into the cause of the crash is under way.

"The N4 Toll Road is one of the priority routes, we will continue to put plans in place to reduce deadly crashes, however, despite the plans that we put in place, motorists still need to obey the rules and play their part to enhance road safety," Macie said.

He urged drivers to use the road cautiously.

Meanwhile, in KwaZulu-Natal, MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, is expected to visit relatives of a family of eight who died in a crash in Nkandla.

The family was travelling to a wedding when the taxi they were in veered off the roadway and rolled down an embankment.

The department has assigned teams to assist the families with funerals, and along with the Road Accident Fund (RAF), will ensure that the necessary paperwork is filled out to assist with claims.

The Department of Social Development has also been deployed to assist the family.

Close to 20 people have lost their lives in crashes in KZN on Monday.

More than 40 motorists have been charged and more than 700 vehicles searched in a massive uMlazi multi-disciplinary roadblock. The operation formed part of a road safety campaign aimed at ensuring the safety of New Year revellers, the department said. 

seanne.rall@iol.co.za

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