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On Tuesday morning, 6 April 2021, a horrific incident on the R34 in Vryheid, near Lakeside, noted ten people killed.
According to the KZN Department of Transport, at approximately 11 am, a Ford Ranger carrying six occupants collided head-on with a Mazda 3, carrying seven occupants.
Seven people died on the scene of the incident, with six critically injured patients treated by paramedics before being transported to the hospital for further medical attention. Tragically, three others died later in hospital.
According to preliminary investigations, the driver of the Mazda 3 allegedly failed to stop at a stop street. While the exact cause of the incident is still being investigated, law enforcement authorities said reckless and negligent driving could not be ruled out.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni, is now calling on motorists to exercise patience on the road to ensure their safety. She emphasises, “It is heartbreaking that this gruesome accident comes after the Easter long weekend where the province recorded 54 fatalities. It was disturbing to learn that one of the vehicles involved in the accident in Vryheid was overloaded, and it is alleged that the driver failed to stop at a stop street, which could be the cause of this ghastly accident that resulted in the death of ten people.”
MEC Nkonyeni further states by flouting the basic rules of the road, the driver displayed gross recklessness and total disregard for the rule of law and other road users. “Human error and negligence are to blame for the increasing death toll on our provincial roads, which is a huge cost to the economy. Therefore, harsher action must be taken against motorists that violate traffic regulations,” she stated. The Provincial Government, working with local Municipalities, will now assist the victims’ families with funeral arrangements and psychosocial services.
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