Five die in Gingindlovu crash: KZN MEC urges enhanced road safety enforcement ahead of schools reopening
Five people were killed in a horror crash on the R66 in Gingindlovu in KwaZulu-Natal late on Sunday night.
Image: KZN Department of Transport / Facebook
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma has directed the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) to urgently strengthen road safety enforcement as schools prepare to reopen on Tuesday.
This comes after a deadly head-on collision on the R66 near the Dokodweni Bridge in Gingindlovu claimed five lives on Sunday night.
“As we count down to the reopening of schools, I have mandated RTI to strengthen road safety measures,” Duma said in a statement issued hours after the incident.
He said the crash marked a tragic end to what had otherwise been a relatively safe winter holiday period.
Duma confirmed that five people died at the scene - three adults and two children. “We pause to pay our deepest condolences to the families of the victims,” he said.
According to preliminary reports from RTI, the crash involved a Hyundai Grand i10 travelling from Nongoma to Durban with eight occupants. The second vehicle, a white Ford Ranger LDV, had four occupants and was travelling towards Gingindlovu.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the Ford Ranger LDV lost control and collided head-on with the Hyundai Grand i10,” Duma said.
Three people from the Hyundai survived, while the four occupants of the Ford Ranger also survived.
Emergency response teams, including the RTI, SAPS, Umlalazi Fire and Mandeni Fire Departments, worked through the night alongside private ambulance services to recover the victims and assist the injured.
IPSS Medical Rescue said a family, including a three-year-old and a two-month-old baby, was among the deceased. “The seriously injured patients were stabilised on scene by IPSS Medical Rescue Advanced Life Support Paramedics before being transported to nearby facilities for further care,” it said.
A total of seven people were injured, including four children under the age of 14 who sustained serious injuries.
IPSS thanked all emergency personnel for their coordinated efforts and extended its condolences. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the friends and family of the deceased.”
Duma said updates would be provided as investigations continue.