Traffic came to a standstill when three vehicles were involved in an accident that injured four family members at Dzingahe Village, near Thohoyandou, on Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency workers had to use the Jaws of Life to rescue one driver who was trapped inside his vehicle, after it rolled several times before it came to rest on the road surface.

Zeblon Mutele, Daniel Mutele, Takalani Mutele and Maanda Nengovhela were traveling in their white Toyota Stallion bakkie with a canopy down the steep Mazhou road to their Makonde home when the driver of a red Kia Rio sedan lost control and crashed into their car. Zeblon sustained head and chest injuries, whereas his younger brother and the driver, Daniel, sustained arm and chest injuries. Takalani and Maanda had minor injuries but both family members were immediately rushed to Donald Fraser Hospital for treatment. The driver of the red Kia Rio, who could not be identified, suffered minor leg injuries.

The driver of a light brown Isuzu bakkie that was also involved in the collision, Sylvester Matuku, said: "I saw this red sedan coming at a high speed while trying to overtake two vehicles. The white Toyota bakkie was one the cars that was being overtaken. It happened so fast - the driver of the red car lost control and came straight to my car, hitting it head-on. I tried to avoid him but it was already too late. After hitting my car, he proceeded to the white bakkie, which also tried to avoid him. After the bakkie was hit, the driver of the bakkie lost control and it rolled several times before it came to a rest. I was lucky to survive and I thank God because I could have lost my life."

A huge crowd of onlookers converged at the scene to witness the accident and traffic officers had to stop the traffic for more than 30 minutes to clear up the road. The injured Mutele family member’s medical condition at the hospital was not yet known at the time of going to press.