JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed on Wednesday evening when a minibus taxi lost control and crashed into a tree in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal province, local authorities confirmed.
Siboniso Duma, the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Transport and Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal, reported that the driver lost control while navigating a bend, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and strike a tree. Duma extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
The tragedy marks the second mass-fatality road incident in the province in a week. On Sept. 30, 13 people died when a minibus taxi collided head-on with a truck in Mtubatuba.
Minibus taxis serve as the backbone of public transport in South Africa, transporting millions of commuters daily. However, high-occupancy fatal collisions remain frequent across the country, often driven by factors such as overloading, mechanical defects, speeding, and reckless cornering.
According to national road statistics, human error accounts for nearly 90% of fatal crashes on South African roads, with KwaZulu-Natal consistently recording among the highest traffic fatality rates in the nation.
