At least 34 killed in 2 Eastern Cape accidents

Johannesburg - At least 34 people have been killed in two separate accidents in the Eastern Cape, the Road Traffic Management Corporation said on Saturday.

Twenty-five people were killed on the R408 between Butterworth and Willowvale when a bus driver lost control of the vehicle, spokesperson Simon Zwane said.

"The vehicle overturned, killing passengers. The number of fatalities is expected to increase as some passengers are still trapped inside the bus," he said.

In a separate accident, nine people were killed when a minibus taxi overturned on the R61 between Cradock and Graaff Reinet

The taxi overturned on an embankment in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Five people were injured and taken to hospital, said Zwane.

The RTMC was sending crash investigators to the Eastern Cape to investigate both accidents.