Six people were killed and six others injured in a head-on collision on the Eastern Cape’s N2 on Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after another crash on the same route claimed seven lives.
The latest collision happened near Mount Ayliff at about 7am when a Toyota Quantum travelling from Alice crossed into the path of a Mercedes-Benz truck heading from Kokstad towards Mzamba, according to provincial transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose.
Five men and one woman died in the impact. Three people sustained serious injuries, while another three suffered minor injuries. Emergency services treated the injured at the scene before taking them to hospital.
The identities of those who died had not been formally confirmed. The department also said it was not yet established whether the passengers were university students travelling home, as had been reported after the crash.
“Preliminary information suggests that the Toyota Quantum crossed into the path of the oncoming truck.”
Binqose said there was also a suspicion that driver fatigue may have contributed to the collision. The exact circumstances remained subject to a police investigation, meaning the initial account of how the taxi entered the truck’s path could still change as evidence is gathered.
Two fatal crashes in less than 24 hours
The Saturday deaths followed a separate crash near Ndabakazi on Friday in which seven people, including a five-year-old boy, were killed. That collision occurred on the N2 between Kei Cuttings and Ndabakazi when a Suzuki seven-seater and a Toyota Corolla were involved in a head-on crash.
The Eastern Cape Transport Department said poor visibility linked to mist and other bad weather conditions may have affected drivers in the Friday incident. It also identified drunk driving as a definite factor. One driver and a passenger survived with serious injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital, while two other vehicles were involved in secondary collisions in the same weather conditions. Those collisions caused minor injuries.
Across the two incidents, 13 people died in less than two days. The concentration of fatalities on the N2 has renewed attention on the risks faced by passengers and long-distance road users, particularly when visibility is reduced or drivers have been on the road for extended periods.
| Incident | Location | Deaths | Other reported details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday crash | Between Kei Cuttings and Ndabakazi | 7 | A five-year-old was among those killed; serious injuries were reported |
| Saturday crash | Near Mount Ayliff | 6 | Three serious and three minor injuries were reported |
Fatigue concerns extend beyond the latest crash
The latest suspected fatigue link is not isolated in the department’s recent crash reporting. Last month, six women died when a Toyota Quantum carrying 16 passengers collided with a truck on the R61 outside Aberdeen. Fatigue was again listed among the suspected causes.
A week later, six more people died when a truck carrying about 30 passengers to a traditional ceremony in the Port St Johns area overturned near Bizana. The incidents have placed the safety of heavily used passenger vehicles and the management of long journeys under further scrutiny.
For motorists travelling through the affected parts of the province, the transport department has urged drivers to approach the area with caution and reduce their speed. The warning is particularly relevant where mist, rain or other conditions make it harder to see approaching traffic.
- Reduce speed when visibility is poor.
- Remain alert for vehicles crossing into the opposing lane.
- Do not drive after drinking or when fatigued.
The Saturday crash investigation will determine what caused the Quantum to leave its lane and whether fatigue or another factor played a role. Until the formal findings are available, the department’s warnings remain focused on basic precautions: slower speeds, careful observation and avoiding driving while impaired or exhausted.
