Graaf-Reinet – Thirteen people died in a horrific head-on collision between a fully loaded minibus taxi and an SUV on the N9 in Graaf-Reinet, Eastern Cape, in the early hours of National Reconciliation Day.
Another person later succumbed to their injuries, raising the fatalities to 14.
Eastern Cape Transport Department spokesperson Unathi Binqose said it appears that “one of the two motorists was on the wrong side of the law”.
Speaking to the SABC, Binqose said head-on collisions claim more lives compared to other types of vehicle crashes.
“We want to call road users to follow the rules of the road,” Binqose said.
“The issue of fatigue is taken lightly, we have learned that many in the taxi industry drive long hours and rely on energy drinks to keep driving.
“But the body gives in when it is tired, and we discourage drivers from driving for hours without rest.”
Binqose said many crashes were due to driver errors and not the condition of the roads.
He also revealed that there was another fatal accident in the province during the holiday long weekend.
Binqose said three people died and many others were injured on the R61, near Bizana, when a van and a sedan collided on Sunday, (15 December 2024).
The identification of the deceased in the Graaf-Reinet accident was underway, Binqose said.
