12 People Killed, 32 Others Injured in KwaZulu-Natal Bus and Truck Horror Accident
12 people lost their lives after a bus and a truck collided on the R34 shortly before midnight on Monday.
The devastating road accident happened near Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal.
KwaZulu-Natal Bus, Truck Accident
According to the provincial Department of Roads and Transport, the crash occurred just before midnight on Monday.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, where ten passengers were declared dead at the site of the collision.
Two more passengers later succumbed to their injuries in the early hours of Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 12, The Citizen reveals.
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Over 30 Injured, Drivers Among the Survivors
A total of 32 injured individuals were transported to hospital following the crash. Among the injured were both drivers of the vehicles, while six occupants of the bus miraculously escaped unscathed.
The office of KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma confirmed the fatalities and ongoing investigation.
“As of 2am on Tuesday morning, authorities were still attending to the scene,” the statement read.
Youth Day Rally Link Under Investigation
Preliminary reports suggest that the bus passengers may have been returning from a Youth Day political rally. MEC spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya stated,
“We are establishing facts around reports that the bus was transporting supporters of a political party.”
Sibiya further explained how the truck collided with the bus, striking its left front corner and then ripping through the side of the passenger vehicle.
“Based on the report from the Road Traffic Inspectorate, after the head-on collision, the truck struck the side of the bus,” he added.
Comprehensive Probe Underway
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the deadly crash. Sibiya confirmed that the department is working closely with the Road Traffic Inspectorate, the Road Traffic Management Corporation, and the South African Police Service.
“We have agreed with the road traffic inspectorate team that we will work with the Road Traffic Management Corporation and the South African Police Service as part of a comprehensive investigation,” said Sibiya.