KwaZulu-Natal saw a horrific spate of motor vehicle collisions over the course of the past weekend, from Friday, 14 November 2025 to Sunday, 16 November 2025. This comes as KwaZulu Private Ambulance reported that it responded to 36 collisions in just three days.
Discussing the matter, spokesperson from KwaZulu Private Ambulance, Craig Botha, stressed that the several incidents resulted in six fatalities and a staggering twenty-one injuries, ranging from minor to critical.
His account underscores the severity of the weekend’s events and the heavy burden placed on emergency responders who were repeatedly deployed to scenes across the province.
As per Botha, the most devastating of these collisions occurred on Friday, 14 November 2025, at 7:30 pm, on the N2 near the Umzumbi bridge, Hibberdene, where a head-on collision between two light motor vehicles demanded a complex, multi-agency response.
Botha said, “Paramedics found five occupants had tragically sustained fatal injuries and succumbed before emergency services arrived. An additional five patients required urgent medical care, including two with minor injuries, two with serious injuries, and one patient in a critical condition. All injured were stabilised on the scene before being transported to nearby hospitals.”
Adding to this, Botha explained that the road was subjected to a major closure to facilitate extrication, patient care, and a thorough investigation.
Authorities, including SAPS, Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), Fire Department, and multiple other ambulance services, worked collaboratively under difficult circumstances.
While the collision on the N2 required a complex operation, Botha said that this was not the only incident that saw emergency personnel finding themselves stretched.
As noted by Botha, on Friday morning, at approximately 6am, paramedics were called for assistance on the R69 and R618 intersection near Vryheid, following a severe incident involving a heavy truck and a light passenger vehicle, which resulted in both vehicles leaving the roadway. The intensity of this crash, coupled with the early hour, added further strain to already pressured response teams.
“The incident is alleged to have occurred when the passenger vehicle failed to stop, resulting in the truck colliding into its side. Three occupants were treated, with one minor injury and two serious injuries,” Botha explained, adding that the SAPS were on scene and investigations into the matter are now underway.
On the same day, at 5:30pm, Botha explained a three vehicle collision occurred on the P535 road, Maholoholo, near Empangeni. This incident involved a bakkie, a light motor vehicle and a light delivery vehicle, which resulted in four occupants being injured. Responders again had to work swiftly to stabilise patients and manage a congested accident scene.
On Saturday, 15 November 2025, Botha explained another collision took place in Empangeni, when a bakkie and a car collided on the corner of Smith and Biyela Streets, which resulted in one minor and one serious injury. The steady pattern of collisions reflected a difficult weekend for both emergency teams and residents navigating the province’s road network.
Botha explained the tragic pattern continued into Sunday, 16 November 2025, with a catastrophic head-on collision involving two trucks on the N3 near Tweedie, Lions River, at 5:30am. The scale of this incident once again required a coordinated response from multiple agencies.
“Preliminary reports suggest a truck traveling northbound lost control and crossed into oncoming traffic, colliding with another truck head-on. The impact was catastrophic, claiming the life of one patient who sustained fatal injuries. Paramedics and rescue teams fought valiantly to treat the remaining four occupants. Two patients sustained minor injuries, and one suffered a serious injury that unfortunately deteriorated into a critical condition while on the scene,” explained Botha.
Such was the nature of the collision, Botha emphasised that SAPS, RTI, Fire Department, and numerous ambulance services were involved in the intricate operation.
“The incident caused severe, prolonged traffic disruption as the N3 was affected for vehicle recovery and investigation for an unknown time duration.”
Reflecting on the above, the succession of collisions across KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend paints a stark picture of the pressures facing emergency response services and the risks confronting motorists on the province’s major routes.
As authorities work to piece together the circumstances surrounding each collision, it is imperative that motorist adhere to road rules.
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Do not forget to read, KZN EMS Responds To Claims Of Single Ambulance In Ladysmith And Bergville Area, if you missed it.
