{"id":44096,"date":"2023-07-04T08:35:19","date_gmt":"2023-07-04T06:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/komani-karoo\/horrific-accident-claims-15-lives-near-middelburg-20230703\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T19:29:27","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T17:29:27","slug":"horrific-accident-claims-15-lives-near-middelburg-20230703","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/komani-karoo\/horrific-accident-claims-15-lives-near-middelburg-20230703\/","title":{"rendered":"Horrific accident claims 15 lives near Middelburg"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A freak accident claimed the lives of 15 people when the trailer of a truck hit a fully loaded minibus taxi on the bypass on the N9\/N10 near Middelburg on July 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Transport Department, Unathi Binqose, it is alleged that at about 23:00 on July 2 a heavy-duty truck hit a stray animal and the driver lost control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said as the driver was trying to regain control, its trailer gave in, fell over and hit a fully loaded taxi which was driving in the opposite direction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe minibus taxi was travelling from the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape while the truck was going in the opposite direction. The trailer crushed the taxi, killing everybody inside it,\u201d said Binqose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said the deceased included nine women and four men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the victims were also a two-month-old baby and a two-year-old toddler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div contenteditable=\"false\" data-embed24=\"Images\" data-pos=\"middle\" id=\"embed_cca0cf20\">\n<div class=\"slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"accident\" data-smallsrc=\"https:\/\/cdn.24.co.za\/files\/Cms\/General\/d\/2968\/ea1e102ad7b74b1d8e2f7b2b87253df8.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/komani-karoo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/3f6ed049e5e34a8fa8f9f3e88e9e109c.jpg\" title=\"The accident claimed the lives of nine women, four men and two children.\"><p><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">The accident claimed the lives of nine women, four men and two children.<\/div>\n<div class=\"img_accreditation\"><span class=\"source\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><span class=\"photographer\" style=\"display:none;\">Photo: Supplied<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Binqose said the truck driver escaped with minor injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe taxi was travelling back to Cape Town after the passengers attended a funeral in Tsolo.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe process of identifying the bodies of the deceased is expected to commence in the afternoon. The bodies have been transferred to a government mortuary in Komani for the ease of identification by the relatives who will be coming from towns in the former Transkei region,\u201d Bingose said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the police are investigating a case of culpable homicide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Nomthetheleli Mene extended her sympathy to the families of the devastating crash victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSAPS management in the Eastern Cape is deeply sorry for the loss of so many lives. The loss of loved ones in such a sudden and tragic manner is truly devastating, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families as they navigate through this unimaginable grief,\u201d said Mene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-issued-by-the-eastern-cape-department-of-transport-and-the-saps\">ISSUED BY THE EASTERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND THE SAPS<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<div contenteditable=\"false\" data-embed24=\"Custom\" data-pos=\"middle\" id=\"embed_c14a621e\">\n<div class=\"custom\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"314\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdoteasterncape%2Fvideos%2F3324179597833426%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden;\" width=\"560\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A freak accident claimed the lives of 15 people when the trailer of a truck hit a fully loaded minibus taxi on the bypass on the N9\/N10 near Middelburg on July 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