By Everson Luhanga
- A Polo driver caused the crash when a taxi driver swerved to avoid him. Seventeen people were in the taxi heading to Ixopo.
- One woman who died was a police officer in uniform. Three passengers are seriously injured and nine have minor injuries.
Five people have died after a minibus taxi rolled down a steep embankment on the N3 near Marianhill in KwaZulu-Natal. Among the dead is a female police officer who was still in full uniform.
The crash happened on Thursday night shortly after a roadblock operation by traffic officers. According to officials, a reckless Volkswagen Polo driver forced the taxi off the road near the Shongweni off-ramp. The taxi, which was carrying 17 passengers to Ixopo, rolled 50 metres down the embankment.
Three people were seriously hurt and taken to R.K Khan Hospital. Nine others had minor injuries.
Emergency workers spent hours recovering the bodies of the victims. The crash site remained active late into the night. Truck drivers who witnessed the crash said the taxi driver lost control while trying to avoid the Polo.
Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said: “We are saddened by the deaths caused by this careless Polo driver. We salute our rescue teams for their professionalism.”
Duma said the Road Traffic Inspectorate, Durban Metro Police and South African Police Service will investigate the crash.
The province had just launched its Durban July and Winter Holiday Road Safety Campaign. Duma said winter and night-time driving remain dangerous, with the highest number of accidents happening during this period.
Road fatalities for June in the last four years have remained high: 902 in 2021, 873 in 2022, 833 in 2023 and 923 in 2024.
Officials say the RTI will remain on high alert throughout the weekend and school holidays to prevent further tragedy.
In a separate incident, a bakkie crashed down an embankment in Trenance Park, KZN on Friday afternoon after its brakes failed during a test drive.
The Opel Corsa overturned and landed on its roof several metres below the road. The driver freed himself, walked to the main road and collapsed.
He lost consciousness and was rushed privately to a medical facility. His passenger had minor injuries.
Pictured above: The accident scene
Image source: Supplied
