Fifteen people have died in a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a pick-up truck in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
The crash occurred shortly after midnight between Saturday and Sunday near the rural town of Maqoma, approximately 1,000 kilometres south of Johannesburg. According to Unathi Binqose, a spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, five other individuals sustained serious injuries and were admitted to hospital.
Both drivers were among those killed in the crash, which is under investigation. Authorities have opened an inquest to determine the cause of the collision.
The minibus taxi, which was reportedly travelling from the town of Qonce to Cape Town, was carrying 13 passengers who all died in the incident.
South Africa’s road network is extensive and heavily used, but the country also records one of the highest rates of traffic fatalities globally. Contributing factors often include reckless driving, speeding, and the use of unroadworthy vehicles.
In 2023, road accidents claimed over 11,800 lives in South Africa, with pedestrians accounting for nearly 45% of those fatalities, according to data from the Road Traffic Management Corporation.
