10 killed and burnt in Balfour crash

Rescue workers had on Monday retrieved the charred bodies of 10 people who were involved in an accident near Balfour‚ said the Mpumalanga Community Safety Department.

Department spokesman Joseph Mabuza said a Toyota Avanza and a bakkie had crashed head-on on the R23 between Standerton and Balfour.

"Officials are still at the scene retrieving the bodies from the wreckage as the impact of the crash sparked a fire and the bodies burnt beyond recognition‚" said Mabuza.

"Nine (of the deceased) were occupants in the Avanza while the one was in the bakkie‚" he said.

A three-year-old was among the Avanza passengers who were killed.

Mabuza said two people had survived the crash.

"They are in hospital in a critical condition‚" he said.

One of them is believed to have been in the Avanza and the other been in the bakkie.

Officials were clearing the accident scene.

The road was expected to be open by 06:30.