KEY POINTS
-
Fifteen people died in a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a bakkie on the R63 in the Eastern Cape, with survivors including three women and two children hospitalized.
-
The crash has intensified demands for road safety reforms in a province with persistently high accident rates, attributed to poor infrastructure and reckless driving.
-
Authorities have launched an inquest and pledged infrastructure audits, while communities mourn victims of a transport system often deemed unsafe and underregulated.
Fifteen people lost their lives in a devastating head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a bakkie on the R63 near Adelaide in the Eastern Cape on Saturday night.
The crash, which occurred around 8:30 PM, killed 12 passengers and both drivers instantly. Six survivors were rushed to nearby hospitals, but one later succumbed to injuries, raising the death toll to 15.
Sowetanlive reports that among the deceased were six women, eight men, and a minor, while the injured included three women and two boys aged 10 and 14.
Eastern Cape transport department spokesperson Unathi Binqose confirmed the tragedy, stating, “This is one of the worst accidents the province has seen this year. Emergency teams worked tirelessly, but the severity of the collision left little chance of survival for many.” The R63, a key route connecting Adelaide and Maqoma (formerly Fort Beaufort), has long been flagged for poor visibility, uneven surfaces, and reckless driving.
Grieving communities in Eastern Cape demand immediate road infrastructure upgrades
The crash has reignited outrage over deteriorating road conditions and lax traffic law enforcement in the Eastern Cape, which recorded over 1,200 road fatalities in 2024 alone. Local advocacy group Safer Roads Eastern Cape highlighted that the R63 lacks critical safety features like guardrails and adequate lighting. “How many more lives must be lost before this road is fixed?” asked activist Nomvula Mbeki during a vigil at the crash site.
Residents of Adelaide described the minibus taxi as a regular commuter vehicle transporting workers from rural areas to nearby towns. The bakkie, reportedly carrying construction materials, allegedly veered into oncoming traffic while navigating a sharp bend. Forensic teams are investigating whether speeding, mechanical failure, or driver fatigue contributed to the crash.
Provincial transport MEC Xolile Nqatha announced an urgent audit of high-risk roads and pledged to fast-track upgrades. “We cannot ignore the human cost of neglect,” he said. Meanwhile, families of the victims await autopsies, with funeral arrangements delayed due to the scale of the tragedy.
The collision follows a grim pattern of road fatalities in South Africa, where minibus taxis account for nearly 40% of passenger-related accidents annually. Just days earlier, a taxi driver was fatally shot in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, underscoring the dual crises of road safety and violent crime plaguing public transport.
