At least 15 people have died and five others sustained injuries in a head-on collision involving a fully loaded minibus taxi and a bakkie in the Eastern Cape.
The accident occurred on the R63 road between Adelaide and Maqoma (Fort Beaufort) at about midnight on Saturday.
Accident in Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape provincial transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the cause of the accident is being investigated.
“It is alleged that a white Quantum, travelling from Qonce (King Williams Town) to Cape Town, collided head-on with an Isuzu double cab that was travelling from Adelaide to KwaMaqoma. The driver of the double cab died on the scene and 13 passengers in the Quantum were also declared dead on the scene, including the driver.
“Six injured occupants of the Quantum were rushed to Provincial Hospital for treatment, one of them later succumbed to injuries on arrival at the hospital, taking the number of deceased to 15,” Binqose said.
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Deadliest crash
Binqose said an inquest docket has been opened for further investigations as both drivers died in the accident.
“This is by far the deadliest crash we have witnessed in the Eastern Cape in a long, long time. Not even in December and during the recent Easter holidays did we see one crash that has claimed so many lives.
“The MEC for transport and community safety in the Eastern Cape Xolile Nqatha says our thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost their loved ones in a flash and is calling for investigators to leave nothing to chance in their investigation of what the real cause of this crash may have been,” Binqose said.
Easter road stats
Last week, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said government remains concerned about the number of pedestrian deaths, despite a marked decrease in both road fatalities and accidents during the 2025 Easter period.
Addressing the media, the minister announced that this year’s Easter weekend saw the lowest number of crashes and road deaths in the past three years.
“Crashes were reduced from 209 in 2024 to 141 in 2025, which is a 32.5% overall decrease compared to 2024,” the minister said.
Creecy indicated that all provinces recorded decreases in road accidents, except for Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, which both saw an increase.
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