At least 11 people, including an approximately 13‑year‑old child, were killed when a taxi bus and a truck collided head‑on on the R102 near Durban on Jan. 29. Eight people were critically injured and seven were taken to local hospitals, officials said. Witnesses reported the truck was performing a U‑turn; early findings indicate the truck had worn tires and the taxi driver’s licence had expired in 2023. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
11 Killed, Including a 13‑Year‑Old, After Taxi Bus and Truck Collide Head‑On on R102 Near Durban
At least 11 killed in crash between truck and taxieNCA/Youtube
At least 11 people have died and several others were seriously injured after a taxi bus and a truck collided head‑on on the R102 near Durban in KwaZulu‑Natal, South Africa, emergency responders said.
ALS Paramedics Medical Services confirmed in a Facebook post that the collision occurred on Thursday, Jan. 29, and that 11 people lost their lives, including a child estimated to be about 13 years old. Eight people sustained critical injuries; seven of the seriously hurt were rushed to local hospitals.
The taxi driver was reported to be critically injured and remained “severely trapped in the wreckage,” ALS said, with rescuers struggling to free him because there was "no space from the front or the back to maneuver." In photos released by ALS, the truck and taxi appear crushed together at the side of the road.
Rescue workers at the scene of the crashDinky Mkhize / AFP via Getty
“So the instruction has been given to this heavy duty tow‑truck to try and pull the truck a bit forward,” the ALS spokesperson explained in the video statement.
Provincial transport department official Siboniso Duma told the Associated Press that witnesses said the truck was performing a U‑turn when the head‑on collision occurred. Duma added that preliminary checks suggest the truck was being operated illegally with worn tires, and investigators found that the taxi driver’s licence had expired in 2023.
The deadly crash follows another fatal minibus‑truck collision near Johannesburg on Jan. 19 that killed 14 schoolchildren; in that case a 22‑year‑old driver has been charged with murder. Authorities continue to investigate the R102 collision to determine all contributing factors.
Photo credit: Dinky Mkhize/AFP via Getty Images
PEOPLE has contacted ALS Paramedics Medical Services and the South African Department of Transport for comment.
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