Six killed, eight seriously injured in three Eastern Cape crashes

At least six people were killed and eight others seriously injured in three separate crashes on Eastern Cape roads on Saturday, 11 July, prompting renewed calls for motorists to drive responsibly.

The fatal crashes occurred on the N2 near Idutywa and on the N10 near Nxuba and Middelburg.

The first crash claimed the lives of two passengers, an adult and a five-year-old child, on the N2 near Nywarha outside Idutywa, towards Mthatha.

According to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport and Community Safety, the driver of a seven-seater VW Caddy lost control of the vehicle, which rolled multiple times.

The vehicle was travelling from Mthatha towards Idutywa with eight occupants when the crash occurred. The driver and five passengers sustained serious injuries and were transported to Butterworth Hospital.

In the second crash, the driver of a Nissan sedan died after losing control of the vehicle on the N10 near Nxuba, causing it to overturn.

The department said a medical condition is believed to have been a significant contributing factor to the crash.

The third and deadliest crash occurred on the N10, about 8km before Middelburg from the Nxuba side, where an Isuzu double cab collided head-on with an articulated FAW truck.

The Isuzu, carrying five male occupants travelling towards Middelburg, was involved in the collision with the truck, which was travelling in the same direction and had only the driver on board.

Three occupants of the Isuzu, including the driver, died in the crash. The remaining two occupants escaped unharmed and received trauma counselling at the scene from emergency services.

The Department of Transport and Community Safety said reckless and negligent driving is believed to have been a major contributing factor in the fatal crashes. The department also urged motorists with serious medical conditions that could endanger their lives to avoid driving.

Transport and Community Safety MEC Xolile Nqatha again appealed to motorists to obey the rules of the road.

The MEC also conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones and wished the injured a speedy recovery.