Rustenburg - The SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has called for high visibility of traffic officers on public roads after a head-on collision claimed the lives of five people on the R510 road linking Rustenburg and Thabazimbi.
The civic movement in the North West on Monday expressed shock and called for a change in driver behaviour.
Provincial chairperson Paul Sebegoe said speeding and reckless driving on public roads was of great concern as most of the accidents including fatalities were preventable if all road users observed the rules of the road and adhered to the prescribed speed limit.
“We wish to convey our condolences to families that lost their loved ones in the horrific crash and also wish the injured passenger rushed to hospital with serious injuries a speedy recovery,” he said.
“Authorities must also clamp down on drunken-driving particularly during weekends to reduce the carnage on our public roads.”
According to the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, the accident occurred on Saturday night, between Manamakgoteng junction and Northam.
“Four of the five occupants in a bakkie and one in a light motor vehicle succumbed to their injuries on the scene. One passenger sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital,” said departmental spokesperson Boitshoko Moremi.
She said Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari sent condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
“MEC Lehari pleads with motorists to be extra cautious when driving at night,” she said.
In a separate accident, ER24 paramedics said 16 people were injured when a minibus taxi and a bakkie collided on the R36 near Tzaneen in Limpopo on Sunday.
"ER24 and several other services arrived on the scene at 13h00 to find the taxi on its side, on the side of the road next to the bakkie. Members of the public had already assisted the passengers out of the taxi.
"Medics assessed the patients and found that 16 people had sustained minor to moderate injuries. Fortunately, no serious injuries or fatalities were found," said spokesperson Russel Meiring.
The injured were treated and later transported to nearby hospitals for further care.
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