WATCH | 41 vehicles were involved in N3 crash, with five fatalities

The N3 between Hilton and Cedara was reopened shortly before midnight after hours of closure after a multi-vehicle crash in which five people lost their lives on Monday afternoon.

“The vehicles have now started to move amid long backlogs of traffic on the N3 northbound (Johannesburg bound),” the KwaZulu-Natal department of transport said.

A total of 41 vehicles were involved in the crash, which included light motor vehicles and minibus taxis.

The department said the road was opened after the recovery of the bodies of the deceased, assisting survivors on scene and transporting critical patients to healthcare facilities for urgent medical attention.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for transport Sipho Hlomuka commended the hard work by various emergency services.

“We acknowledge the magnitude of this horrific accident and the trauma felt by all those involved is unbearable. We once again wish to send our deepest condolences to all the affected families and wish a speedy recovery to all those who sustained injuries. Some motorists have been stuck for hours and lost a lot of time in traffic. We however wish to salute all the emergency response teams for a job well done under such unfavourable weather conditions. As provincial authorities, we are hugely disappointed with the fatal crashes recorded during this Easter weekend. We appeal to those who will be continuing with their journey and those who are still going to embark to be on high alert and ensure maximum adherence to traffic regulations.”

Those who still need to locate their family members can call the emergency contact centre number on 033 940 8484.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.