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The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mr. Willies Mchunu, has expressed his strong concerns over the deadly accidents that claimed scores of people’s lives over the weekend in the province.

One of these accidents happened yesterday afternoon near Oribi Godge, in the South Coast, claimed five lives including an infant.

According to preliminary reports, this accident happened when a minibus taxi travelling from KwaNyuswa to Port Shepstone lost control and overturned killing four passengers on the scene – and the infant died while being rushed to hospital – and also left six people with injuries.  The injured were taken to Murchison and Port Shepstone hospitals to receive medical attention.  A team of forensic experts has been dispatched to investigate the real cause of this accident.

Other reported accidents took place as follows:

• Friday, 26 September 2014:  On the R102 near Umkhomazi – 3 people died when a Mercedes Benz vehicle they were travelling in lost control and crushed into a concrete bridge.
• Sunday, 28 September 2014:  On the R102, Braema, near Park Ryne, two light motor vehicles collided head-on leaving one passenger dead.  There were five passengers who were seriously injured and taken to the nearby hospital to receive medical attention.

“The scale of accidents that have been reported this weekend compels all of us as road users – especially drivers to change our behavior on the road.  The safety of all road users is our collective business.  This means that as society we must make it our business to turn the tide of the road carnage.  On behalf of the government of Kwazulu-Natal, I wish to send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives in these accidents.  We also wish a speedy recovery to the ones who are in hospitals,” said Mchunu.

Issued by KZN Department of Transport