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11 people killed, 14 injured as taxi and long-distance bus collide in Eastern Cape

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Eleven people have died in a crash between a minibus taxi and a long-haul bus in the Eastern Cape.
Eleven people have died in a crash between a minibus taxi and a long-haul bus in the Eastern Cape.
PHOTO: Supplied/Eastern Cape Transport Department
  • Eleven people have died in a collision between a bus and a minibus taxi in Flagstaff, Eastern Cape.
  • Fourteen others were injured.
  • Circumstances surrounding the cause of the crash are still unknown at this stage.

A collision between a minibus taxi and a long-distance bus in the Eastern Cape has left 11 people dead and 14 others injured.

Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Simon Zwane said the crash took place on Sunday, at around 13:15, on the R61 road in Flagstaff.

According to Unathi Binqose, spokesperson for the Department of Transport in the Eastern Cape, a single-decker bus with 18 occupants travelling from Lusikisiki, and a Toyota minibus with 16 occupants, travelling from Flagstaff, collided head-on.

READ | Six people dead, 32 injured in horror bus crash between Mossel Bay, Voorbaai

Binqose said that nine adults and two children had died on the scene. He added that among those injured, six were in a critical condition.

The injured people were taken to Holy Cross Hospital in Flagstaff.

"The circumstances surrounding the cause of the crash are still unknown at this stage," Binqose said.

An investigation was under way and a case of culpable homicide had been opened with Flagstaff police, he added.

Destroyed remains of taxi damaged in crash
Eleven people have died in a crash between a minibus taxi and a long-haul bus in the Eastern Cape.
Supplied Eastern Cape Transport Department

Prasa said the bus involved in the accident belonged to its subsidiary, Autopax.

Autopax CEO Niel Roesch said: "We are deeply saddened by the number of fatalities in this accident. Autopax takes safety seriously and will participate fully in investigations to establish the cause of the accident. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones.

"We wish to commend the rapid response teams and traffic law enforcement officers for their swift rescue operations and for attending to the injured passengers."

Completely mangled front section of bus
Eleven people have died in a crash between a minibus taxi and a long-haul bus in the Eastern Cape.
Supplied Eastern Cape Transport Department

Three weeks ago, six people were killed and 32 injured in a crash involving two buses on the N2 between Mossel Bay and Voorbaai in the Western Cape.

The buses were from Intercape and Williams Coach Tours.

Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira said at the time that their bus had been en route from Cape Town to East London.



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