The death toll of the KZN crash involving a stationary taxi has risen to 12. Photo: KZN Department of Transport / Facebook
R617 crash: Acting KZN Transport MEC reveals death toll has risen
The death toll of the R617 crash in KZN has reportedly risen to 12, according to Acting Transport MEC Jomo Sibiya.
The death toll of the KZN crash involving a stationary taxi has risen to 12. Photo: KZN Department of Transport / Facebook
The Acting Transport MEC in KZN Jomo Sibiya revealed that the death toll in the R617 crash near Mpophomeni has risen.
Two separate crashes resulted in the deaths of 17 people
On the evening of Saturday, 16 July, 17 people lost their lives in two separate crashes in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Reports allege that a taxi travelling from Mpendle to Umlazi stopped on the side of the road after one of its passengers jumped out of the moving vehicle.
A post shared on the KZN Department of Transport’s Facebook page revealed that the deceased is made up of the owner of a security company, a police officer who attended the initial scene and the occupants of the taxi.
A car allegedly crashed into the stationary taxi
Sibiya explained that a light motor vehicle, travelling at a very high speed, crashed into the stationary taxi. This resulted in the deaths of 11 people, including a police officer at the scene who was directing the traffic, reports SABC News.
“What happened is that a car that came with speed in fact I don’t even want to start imagining the speed because looking at the accident it tells you that the car that caused the accident was on high speed. So the taxi was just on the side of the road with the people standing on the side of the road as well. This car just came in and hit everything and smashed everything that was on its path, and one of the members who were in the hospital we heard that he has lost his life as well and the number now is sitting at 12,”
said Sibiya.
KZN leadership visit families of R617 deadly crash
Earlier, it was reported that the KwaZulu-Natal Acting MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Jomo Sibiya visited the scene and the families of those killed in the R617 deadly crash.
Sibiya was accompanied by Umgungundlovu District Municipality Mayor Cllr Mzi Zuma and Head of Department Mr Siboniso Mbhele. A meeting with the families was held at Mpophomeni Community Hall in Howick.
More than 10 people, including a police officer, perished at the R617 accident scene. The deceased include occupants in a taxi. The taxi is reported to have been travelling from eMpendle to uMlazi. Read the full story here.
