Five people were killed in a head-on collision on the N2 between King William’s Town and Peddie on Sunday night.
Two passengers were rushed to hospital. Four of the victims were believed to be hitch-hikers. Most of the dead or injured suffered severe head injuries.
The two sedans collided 12km outside King William’s Town.
One driver, heading towards Peddie, was declared dead on the scene after his vehicle collided with an overloaded vehicle carrying six passengers, four of whom died, said provincial department of transport deputy director of traffic, David Roji.
Roji said other contributing factors to the accident were speeding and overtaking on a double barrier line.
“It appears that the vehicle coming from King William’s Town went on the wrong side of the road and collided with the vehicle that was speeding.
“It was a curve and on a barrier line so the driver who survived was not expecting anything.”
The department said that the four dead passengers were not related and were likely to have been hitch-hikers travelling to East London.
The dead could not be identified until their families had been notified, but Roji said said they were from Amalinda, Breidbach, Sweetwaters, East London and Tyutyu village.
Traffic was redirected for several hours while the scene was cleared.
“We appeal to motorists to reduce their speed when driving and to please adhere to road rules and signs.
“People should stop overtaking where they are not supposed to.
“We will continue to have traffic officers on patrol to monitor our roads, but we appeal to drivers to drive safely,” Roji said.
Provincial health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that five people died on the scene.
He said that one of the injured passengers, a 19-year-old boy, was discharged yesterday from Grey Hospital in King William’s Town.
Two people died in separate car crashes on Sunday near Idutywa and Butterworth. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
Five killed in horror crash near King William’s Town
Two passengers were rushed to hospital. Four of the victims were believed to be hitch-hikers. Most of the dead or injured suffered severe head injuries.
The two sedans collided 12km outside King William’s Town.
One driver, heading towards Peddie, was declared dead on the scene after his vehicle collided with an overloaded vehicle carrying six passengers, four of whom died, said provincial department of transport deputy director of traffic, David Roji.
Roji said other contributing factors to the accident were speeding and overtaking on a double barrier line.
“It appears that the vehicle coming from King William’s Town went on the wrong side of the road and collided with the vehicle that was speeding.
“It was a curve and on a barrier line so the driver who survived was not expecting anything.”
The department said that the four dead passengers were not related and were likely to have been hitch-hikers travelling to East London.
The dead could not be identified until their families had been notified, but Roji said said they were from Amalinda, Breidbach, Sweetwaters, East London and Tyutyu village.
Traffic was redirected for several hours while the scene was cleared.
“We appeal to motorists to reduce their speed when driving and to please adhere to road rules and signs.
“People should stop overtaking where they are not supposed to.
“We will continue to have traffic officers on patrol to monitor our roads, but we appeal to drivers to drive safely,” Roji said.
Provincial health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed that five people died on the scene.
He said that one of the injured passengers, a 19-year-old boy, was discharged yesterday from Grey Hospital in King William’s Town.
Two people died in separate car crashes on Sunday near Idutywa and Butterworth. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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