Three people tragically lost their lives when a truck collided with a light motor vehicle on the N2 near oPhongolo in KwaZulu-Natal on the afternoon of Saturday, 4 October.
According to the KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC, Siboniso Duma, the crash occurred at about 4:19 pm. In addition to the fatalities, two others suffered serious injuries in the collision. Emergency services and the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) responded swiftly, working alongside local traffic officers and rescue teams to assist the injured and manage the scene.
Duma extended his deepest condolences to the families of those killed and cautioned drivers that one lane remained closed while recovery operations were underway. The RTI has since handed the case over to the police, who will lead a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
This accident comes amid increased efforts by the provincial government to clamp down on reckless and overloaded trucks, following a spate of fatal incidents linked to heavy vehicles. As part of this effort, authorities recently launched an operation across more than 17 weighbridges along major routes such as the N2 and N3. During that operation, ten undocumented foreign nationals were arrested, including three truck drivers found without valid Professional Driving Permits or proper documentation.
Statistics shared by Duma reveal the extent of the problem: of the 207,891 vehicles weighed in recent months throughout KZN, 48,973 (23.6 %) were overloaded, and 5,842 (2.8 %) resulted in chargeable offenses. ) He also welcomed a national push to shift heavy freight from roads to rail, noting that six new train operators will soon begin moving coal and chrome along the North Corridor. The aim is to reduce reliance on road transport and thereby cut down on fatal truck-related crashes.
“Trucks have destroyed families, created orphans and widows and left many people living with disability,” Duma said. He expressed hope that as more freight is carried by rail, roads will become safer and the death toll in truck accidents will decline.
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