Thirty people, including 10 children, were killed when an overloaded taxi and a truck collided on the N3 freeway near Harrismith, Free State police say.
Sergeant Mmako Mophiring said that 29 people died on the scene of the accident.
This included the 10 children -- one of them a baby.
One of the critically injured passengers from the truck died later in hospital.
Netcare 911 spokesman Jeffrey Wicks said earlier that the overloaded taxi collided head on with the truck at approximately 3am.
Mophiring said the taxi had been carrying 35 people, but was only certified to carry 23.
He said it was believed that the taxi had lost control on a curve in the road and veered into oncoming traffic.
Seven people remained in hospital in a serious condition.
Police were investigating a case of culpable homicide.
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