PIETERMARITZBURG – Ten men died and five others suffered serious injuries when the driver of a minibus taxi lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree on the MR385 road between Hammarsdale and Cato Ridge on Wednesday evening.

The victims were travelling to work when the fully loaded minibus taxi failed to negotiate a bend and collided with a tree. Emergency responders declared all 10 men dead at the scene.

Families witness traumatic scene

Families gathered at a state mortuary in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday morning as two mortuary vans removed the bodies of their loved ones. KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said the families are devastated.

“Families who have lost breadwinners are devastated, but the fact that their loved ones died while travelling to work, with certain allegations being made by witnesses, adds a profound layer to the tragedy,” Duma said in a statement.

Alcohol allegations under investigation

Duma said the Road Traffic Inspectorate Team and Durban Metro Police are working with the South African Police Service and Road Traffic Management Corporation to investigate the accident.

“Under normal circumstances, we always avoid finger-pointing, but it would be irresponsible not to investigate allegations that the private minibus taxi driver had consumed alcohol before the accident,” he said.

Witnesses also alleged that the driver tried to avoid pedestrians and lost control of the vehicle before it hit the tree.

Emergency response

Emergency responders, including ALS Paramedics, eThekwini Fire Department, and Durban Metro Police Search and Rescue, attended the scene. Rescue personnel used hydraulic equipment, including the Jaws of Life, to recover victims trapped in the wreckage.

The five injured passengers were taken to R.K Khan and Hibiscus hospitals with injuries ranging from serious to critical.

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Government intervention

Duma announced several interventions to assist the families:

The department will assign experienced officials to be with families at the mortuary and visit them at home. Each family faces unique circumstances and will receive tailor-made support.

Officials will consult with families to ensure the victims receive a dignified funeral. The department is obliged to intervene when more than five people die in a road accident.

The Road Accident Fund will visit individual families to explain the package of assistance available under such circumstances.

The department will determine, in consultation with families, days and locations for a memorial service and funerals for the victims.

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