Families will mourn this festive season: Child among three people killed in road crash

Three people, including a child, were killed in a head-on collision on the R59 near Taaibosspruit between Vereeniging and Sasolburg on Sunday morning.

Shortly before 7am, paramedics from ER24 and local emergency services were called to a crash scene involving two vehicles.

"A woman and young child were found with fatal injuries in one of the light motor vehicles. Sadly, there was nothing that could be done for them and they were declared dead on the scene. A passenger in another light motor vehicle was also found with fatal injuries and declared dead," said ER24.

Two women from the same vehicle were found with critical injuries. A medical helicopter had to be activated to airlift one of the critically injured women to a hospital in Johannesburg.

Six other people from the second vehicle sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate. They were treated on the scene and later transported to nearby hospitals for further medical care.

The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are not yet known. Local authorities attended the scene and will investigate.