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- Four people were killed when two trucks crashed and burst into flames near Beaufort West.
- The accident occurred on the dreaded N1 stretch between Beaufort West and Three Sisters early in the morning.
- It was so serious that firefighters and police had to close the road and divert traffic.
Four people were killed when two trucks crashed and burst into flames on the N1 between Beaufort West and Three Sisters early Wednesday morning.
The accident was so serious that traffic had to be diverted through Aberdeen, Graaff-Reinet and Murraysburg.
Flames engulfed the vehicles as rescuers tried to work in the extreme heat, but the occupants of the trucks did not survive.
READ | At least 13 people die in KwaZulu-Natal accident between taxi and truck
Western Cape Transportation Department spokesman Jandré Bakker said two drivers and two other people, believed to be co-drivers, were killed.
“Acting Traffic Director Farrell Payne expressed serious concern about that stretch of highway,” Bakker told News24.
The N1 from Beaufort West in the Karoo is known as a difficult road for drivers with its long, uninterrupted and monotonous sections.
Wednesday’s crash, shortly after midnight, follows a crash Tuesday on the Richmond stretch of the N1, north of Beaufort West. The driver was injured and taken to hospital and some elements of the crashed truck were looted.
According to Bakker, the province’s traffic authorities are preparing for their fatigue management program ahead of the Christmas season, where the road fills with tourists and cargo trucks. In previous shows, drivers were stopped and if they appeared tired they were forced to rest.
There was no further information on the identity of the deceased on Wednesday. Trucking companies will be contacted for further details for the department’s investigation.
In the course of the investigation, the department will attempt to establish whether it was due to driver fatigue, speeding, or whether drivers simply pushed past their load.
Bakker explained that some companies paid drivers a salary, regardless of how many loads they were carrying. Others paid them per load. In the latter case, it could lead the driver to push hard to turn with another load.
“But that’s just speculation. We can only say once we’ve investigated,” he said.
Western Cape Public Works and Transportation MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela said: “It is very disturbing that so many people are losing their lives on the road as I cross the province raising awareness during October Transportation Month.
“Road safety continues to be one of my strategic focus areas that I have committed to prioritizing during my tenure. This is a major setback for the province after it recorded a low rate of road deaths during the 2019 holiday season and during the pandemic.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the grieving families during this difficult time,” he said.
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