Pretoria – Three men were killed in a collision which involved an articulated truck and two sedans on N4 toll road towards Mbombela, near the Mara turn-off, last night.
Mpumalanga community safety, security and liaison’s spokesperson Moeti Mmusi said reports indicated that all vehicles involved were driving towards Mbombela coming from the direction of Malelane when the crash happened at about 9pm.
“The deceased perished at the scene and truck driver escaped unharmed. The sedans involved are the Nissan Sentra and the Toyota Cressida,” he said.
“It is believed that one of the vehicles was being towed when they both lost control and veered in front of the truck travelling in the same direction.”
The truck then smashed into the back of one the two sedans, killing the three men instantly.
“The crash investigation has already commenced. The road was partially closed to enable law enforcement and emergency personnel to work on the scene. One of the drivers allegedly fled the scene on foot,” said Moeti.
In February, Mpumalanga community safety, security and liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe reiterated calls for motorists to be cautious on the road, after a crash that claimed six lives on the N11.
That head-on collision happened on the N11 between Middelburg and Grobblersdal, towards Loskop Dam.
Shongwe said the increasing number of road deaths in Mpumalanga was alarming.
“The government alone cannot win the fight against road carnage. We need everyone to play their part by always adhering to the rules of the road and by reporting those who disregard the law,” said Shongwe.
The previous week, authorities in Mpumalanga announced that the number of fatalities in the crash involving a minibus taxi taking learners home after school had increased to nine, after the discovery of another body metres away from the crash scene.
The crash happened on the D267 between Dundonald and Mayflower.
IOL