Johannesburg – At least 16 people were burnt to death on Tuesday when a minibus taxi and an SUV collided on a highway in South Africa’s northeastern Limpopo province, a local official said.
The SUV driver lost control after a tyre burst and collided head-on with a 22-seater Mercedes-Benz bus, provincial transport ministry spokesperson Mike Maringa told AFP on Wednesday.
“The bus burst into flames and 16 occupants trapped inside were burnt alive,” he said.
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The SUV driver was killed on impact, he said. Eight other people survived with injuries.
Privately-owned minibus taxis are widely used by the commuting public in South Africa.
12 Killed in a head-on crash between bus and a Toyota SUV on the N1 near Mookgophong off-ramp https://t.co/3qQrYACsju #ArriveAlive #RoadSafety @TransportLimCom @TrafficRTMC pic.twitter.com/xIiaKQa29P
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) January 12, 2022
Despite having one of the most developed highway networks on the continent, South Africa has one of the world’s worst records for road safety – a phenomenon usually blamed on poor driving.
Nearly 1 500 people were killed on the roads during the Christmas holidays, according to government.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Unsplash
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