Five killed as VW Polo crashes into roadside barrier in KZN

Five people died and another was seriously injured when a Volkswagen Polo crashed into a roadside barrier on the R612 near Ixopo in southern KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday night.

The KwaZulu-Natal department of transport said the crash occurred at about 9.10pm and claimed the lives of three women and two men.

“Again we have a dark cloud hanging over KwaZulu-Natal following the death of five people in a horrific accident involving another VW Polo,” the department said on Sunday.

The department extended condolences to the victims’ families and said officials had been dispatched to assist them.

According to preliminary findings by the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), the crash has been classified as a “very serious accident” because of the high number of fatalities.

A sixth occupant of the vehicle sustained serious injuries when the car crashed into the barrier.

Because of the severity of the crash, the RTI handed the investigation to the SAPS’s accident unit. Investigators will reconstruct the crash scene to determine what caused the crash.

“Critically, in such accidents, a criminal case of culpable homicide is opened and managed by the on-scene investigating officer and a detective who will see the docket through to prosecution and finalisation,” the department said.

The latest tragedy comes amid a string of fatal crashes involving VW Polos in the province.

Just a week ago, six people died in Newcastle when a VW Polo caught fire after a crash.

Two weeks earlier, three members of the Msomi family and their domestic helper were killed in a head-on collision between a car and a truck on the R612 at the Rydal intersection in Highflats. Four of the victims were burnt beyond recognition after the vehicle caught fire.

The department said it had previously warned that the winter holiday period is associated with increased traffic volumes and a higher risk of serious crashes.

It also highlighted the devastating impact road crashes have on young South Africans.

“We reported in the past that in our interaction with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and the Road Accident Fund (RAF) last year, we were informed that the RAF paid out R43bn for injury benefits to young accident survivors aged between 15 and 34.”

According to previous departmental reports, most road fatalities involving young people occurred on Saturdays and Sundays between 5pm and 9pm.

The RTMC’s national statistics recorded 902 road fatalities in June 2021, 873 in June 2022, 833 in June 2023 and 923 in June 2024.

The department said it had reconfigured its road safety campaign last Thursday as part of efforts to reduce road deaths in the province.

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