Three census workers died while six were critically injured in a horrific car accident on Sunday (23/10). The accident happened after the driver of the bakkie they were traveling in lost control and it overturned.

The workers were returning from the the farms in Waterpoort where they had just collected information. Three of the census workers, Ms Lusani Mashaba (20), Ms Tsilahale Manavhela and Tsumbedzo Phaswana died on the scene, while the other six were rushed to the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital.

Capt Samuel Mushapho said the accident happened next to the Skrabjie Farm on the Vivo road, at night. "The car overturned after the driver lost control. We have opened a case of culpable homicide following the incident," he said.

The Executive Manager of Statistic South Africa in Limpopo, Mr Nthambeleni Mukwevho said that he was still shocked following the incident. He added that: "As management and the entire Census 2011 field team, we were upbeat and already celebrating many successes we are achieving in the count. When we least expected disaster struck and struck us at the core. This is a loss to the bereaved families and to Stats South Africa."

All the victims are residents of the Kutama area.