Eight people killed in gruesome taxi accident

The Easter weekend got off to a tragic start with a gruesome taxi accident that left eight people dead along the Thohoyandou road last Thursday evening.

The eight were trapped in the wreckage of the minibus taxi they were travelling in and all burnt beyond recognition. They were the first deaths to be reported at the commencement of this annual weekend of carnage on the country's roads.

According to local police spokesperson WO Takalani Madzhigili, preliminary investigations would suggest that speeding and fatigue could be the possible causes of the accident. He added that the possibility that the driver was swerving to avoid a pothole in the road could not be ruled out as a possible cause.

The taxi was travelling from Pretoria to Thohoyandou when the accident occurred. After swerving off the road, the taxi crashed into a massive tree next to the road and burst into flames. Seven passengers managed to escape the fatal fire and were rushed to the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital for treatment. By Monday, three of the survivors had already been discharged.

At the time of going to press, the Zoutpansberger had learnt that some of the family members of the deceased had already been contacted. They were expected to identify their loved ones’ remains at the Tshilidzini Hospital on Tuesday. Other family members, who have still not come forward, are urged to contact the Makhado SAPS to make the necessary arrangements.

In the meantime, the Limpopo MEC for Roads and Transport, Lehlogonolo Masoga, visited both the bereaved families and the victims of the accident.

The spokesperson for the Limpopo Department of Roads and Transport, Jimmy Machaka, confirmed on Tuesday that 17 deaths were recorded for the province over Easter. Unconfirmed reports have it that 68 road accidents occurred during this time. According to Machaka, nine of the 17 deaths happened on Vhembe’s roads.

Apart from Thursday's accident, one person was killed after losing control over his sedan, which then overturned in the sharp curve at the Witvlag junction along the N1 north. The accident happened on Monday. The remaining five occupants in the sedan escaped with minor injuries.

In another accident, a taxi driver lost control and veered off the road between Makhado (Louis Trichardt) and Polokwane. The injured were taken to various hospitals. The traffic authorities impounded the taxi as it was apparently not roadworthy.

News - Date: 24 April 2014

Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

Email: [email protected]