A tragic road accident on the R81 in Limpopo has left South Africans reeling in shock after 13 people, including a young girl, were killed when a taxi and two trucks collided. The deadly crash occurred on Sunday, 29 September 2025, between Mooketsi and Polokwane in Ga-Sekgopo.
Church Trip Turns Into Tragedy
According to **Arrive Alive**, the taxi was carrying churchgoers returning from a service in Solomondale. The minibus became trapped between two trucks during the collision, leaving the driver and all the passengers, mostly women, dead at the scene. Witnesses described the crash as horrific, with the impact leaving no chance of survival for those inside the taxi.
The **Department of Transport** confirmed that the victims’ identities would be released only after families had been notified. Authorities are still investigating the exact cause of the accident, though speculation is rife about whether truck driver error may have played a role.
South Africans React With Shock
News of the accident quickly spread across social media, sparking heated debates and emotional tributes. Many South Africans expressed anger over reckless driving and poor road safety standards.
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One user, Moment Lukhozi, warned: *“Rule number one: never drive between two trucks, even in a traffic jam.”* Another, Vincent Kalane, highlighted his own defensive driving approach, saying he always leaves a gap of at least 10 metres when a truck is behind him, in case brakes fail.
Others blamed taxi drivers for taking risks on the road. Zolile Kaeni suggested that the taxi driver may have been in a hurry and overtook a truck despite seeing another oncoming vehicle.
A Month of Deadly Crashes
This Limpopo tragedy is one of several deadly road accidents reported across South Africa in September alone, highlighting ongoing concerns over road safety.
* On **14 September**, a truck driver lost control on the N3 in Pietermaritzburg, colliding with another truck and two cars. He died at the scene.
* On **26 September**, two people were killed when a tanker overturned on the N1 near Bryanston, spilling its cargo of cooking oil across the road.
* Just a day before the Limpopo crash, on **28 September**, a woman was killed in a head-on collision in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, while two others were injured.
These tragedies follow an earlier disaster in **Pietermaritzburg’s Imbali township** on 11 September, where five children were killed after a taxi crashed into a crèche.
Calls for Urgent Action
The series of accidents has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of road safety laws and better regulation of heavy vehicles and taxis. Community members are demanding more accountability from both truck and taxi operators, as well as improved infrastructure and driver training.
For grieving families in Limpopo, however, the focus is now on mourning their loved ones lost in the Ga-Sekgopo crash. The accident has not only robbed them of mothers, daughters, and sisters but also deepened the nation’s urgent conversation around road safety.
Authorities have urged drivers to remain vigilant on the road, avoid risky overtaking, and maintain safe distances—reminders that come too late for the 13 lives lost in this devastating tragedy.
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