Three people have died, and six others sustained severe injuries in a head-on collision involving a bakkie and a seven-seater vehicle on the N2 near Butterworth in the Eastern Cape.

Provincial Transport Department Spokesperson Unathi Binqose says the deceased were all in the seven-seater vehicle, including a 4-year-old boy.

Binqose says a case of culpable homicide has been opened.

“This has been a very horrible accident, an accident that claimed among other lives, the life of a four-year-old boy who was travelling with his dad to town at the time of the accident. The dad is believed to be among those who are severely injured and is fighting for his life in hospital. The MEC for Transport in the Eastern Cape, Mr Xolile Nqatha is sending his word of sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wishing those in hospital a speedy and a full recovery. He is also making a call to you and I, as road users, to obey the rules of the road so we can avoid, avoidable accidents, like head-on collisions.”

Free State

Meanwhile, the death toll on Free State roads has risen to 23. In the latest incident, one person died after the vehicle they were travelling in overturned on ZR Mahabane road between Brandfort and Theunissen in the early hours of this morning.

The Free State Provincial Government has expressed deep sadness over the tragic loss of lives in six separate crashes. Speaking on behalf of Government Mondli Mvambi says three people have been admitted to hospitals across the province.

KZN

In Durban, a woman has died after she was involved in a serious crash on Monday morning on the M13 near Kings Avenue in Westville in Durban.

ALS Paramedics Garrieth Jamieson says the woman’s vehicle rolled numerous times.

“Just after 9 am this morning, ALS Paramedics responded to a serious single-vehicle crash on the M13 Durban Bound near Kings Avenue in Westville. Paramedics arrived on the scene to find carnage as they found that a single vehicle had rolled numerous times coming to rest on its roof. Paramedics quickly assessed the scene and found that the driver and only occupant of the vehicle were entrapped in the wreckage. Unfortunately, the female believed to be in her seventies had sustained major injuries and there was nothing Paramedics could do for her and she was declared deceased on the scene. The scene is still active and will be for some time. ALS Paramedics would like to urge motorists to please slow down in this wet weather we are currently experiencing.”