Five illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe were killed while eight others were seriously injured after a SAPS truck they were traveling in was involved in an accident along the N1 highway between Musina and the Beitbridge border post.

The SAPS spokeswoman for Musina, Const Deborah Bob, said the incident occurred on Saturday at around 10:30. She said the truck, belonging to the Musina SAPS, was ferrying 50 Zimbabwean deportees from the SNG holding camp in Musina and heading towards the International Organization for Migration (IOM) deportees’ centre in Beitbridge.

"Apparently, the SAPS truck was ferrying 50 illegal immigrants to Zimbabwe from Musina and along the way it was involved in an accident, resulting in four people dying on the spot. However, the fifth victim died later at Musina hospital where she was admitted with the other eight victims who are in a critical condition," Bob said.

The eight sustained fractured legs, severe head injuries and broken limbs.

She said they are still investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the accident. Bob said so far police have positively identified two victims, Plaxidio Mhizha (age unknown) and Sarah Dube (29), both females from the Chiredzi and Zaka districts respectively in Zimbabwe.

The bodies were subsequently taken to the Musina Government mortuary. The other three victims are have not yet been identified.

"We are still making efforts to locate the relatives of the victims who have not yet been identified and therefore we are appealing to those who might have missing relatives to contact the police in Musina on 015-534 7408," said the police spokeswoman.

South Africa deports an average of about 500 Zimbabwean illegal immigrants through Beitbridge border post daily. However, the number increases to around 1000, particularly on Thursdays, when the country’s biggest detention center, Lindela Repatriation center just outside Johannesburg, would have been cleared for new arrivals.

It is estimated that there are over 2 million Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa, a majority of them illegally, as they continue to flee the economic hardships back home.