RTMC to probe cause of horror Machadodorp crash
In the latest crash which happened on Tuesday morning‚ 18 people were killed and 15 were seriously injured when a Mozambican-registered articulated truck‚ and a minibus were involved in a collision on R541 between Machadodorp and Badplaas in Mpumalanga.
The public transport vehicles are believed to have been transporting mine workers to work when the accident happened at around 6.50am on Tuesday morning.
Six other people were killed and 54 injured in another major crash in the Free State on Monday. “Preliminary information from that accident indicates that the bus allegedly drove into the truck that had broken down on the N8 between Botshabelo and Bloemfontein‚” the RTMC said.
“The RTMC will be working with the SAPS and provincial authorities to investigate the causes of these accidents.
“Last year‚ the RTMC investigated 36 crashes involving trucks and 143 people were killed in those accidents while 136 sustained injuries. A total of 49 trucks were involved in the collisions which involved 35 light motor vehicles‚ 18 light delivery vehicles‚ 11 minibuses and one motorcycle.
“Most of the crashes were multiple vehicle type crashes‚ head on collisions‚ head-to-rear crashes and side swipe type crashes‚” the RTMC said.
“Motorists are called upon to be vigilant when driving this time of the year. The winter period in South African is characterised by poor visibility‚ veld fires and extended periods of darkness‚” it added.