A tragic accident on the N2 road near Ermelo in Mpumalanga has claimed the lives of five people, leaving families devastated and raising fresh concerns about reckless driving on South Africa’s roads.
The fatal crash occurred on Friday night, 13 June, and involved two sedans and a truck. According to Moeti Mmusi, spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, the horrific accident was the result of reckless driving and excessive speeding.
Preliminary investigations indicate that one of the sedans was travelling at an estimated speed of over 170km/h when law enforcement officers tried to pull the vehicle over. However, the driver allegedly ignored the officers’ attempts to stop him and continued driving at high speed along the N2.
In a devastating turn of events, the speeding sedan collided with another sedan traveling on the same stretch of road. The impact of this collision sent the first sedan hurtling into the path of an oncoming truck, resulting in a deadly head-on crash.
“The sedan, which was carrying four passengers at the time, lost control after the initial collision. It then smashed into a truck traveling in the opposite direction,” said Mmusi.
Tragically, all five occupants of the speeding sedan — including the driver and four passengers — were declared dead at the scene by emergency services.
The driver of the other sedan, who was alone in his vehicle, survived the crash but now faces serious charges. Police have since arrested him, charging him with excessive speeding, reckless driving, failure to comply with lawful instructions, and allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
Mmusi confirmed that investigations into the crash are underway, with forensic teams reconstructing the scene to piece together the full sequence of events leading to the fatal collision.
“This is yet another painful reminder of how reckless behaviour on our roads often ends in tragedy. We are urging all road users to obey speed limits, respect the rules of the road, and never drive under the influence of alcohol,” Mmusi emphasized.
Road accidents continue to be a major concern across South Africa, with Mpumalanga often listed among the provinces with high fatality rates due to collisions involving speeding, reckless driving, and drunk driving.
Authorities are calling on motorists to exercise greater caution, especially as the country approaches the winter school holiday season — a time when road traffic traditionally increases, putting added pressure on road safety enforcement.
The names of the deceased have not yet been released, pending notification of their next of kin.
As families mourn the sudden loss of their loved ones, the tragedy serves as a grim warning about the dangers of speeding and reckless driving, especially on major national roads like the N2.
The investigation continues.