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Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has, this morning, sent her sincere and deep felt condolences to the families of victims of a fatal road crash that took place between Edenburg and Bloemfontein in the Free State province around 06:00.

In a gruesome road crash this morning on the N1 between Edenburg and Bloemfontein in the Free State province, 10 people were killed and 4 suffered injuries when a light delivery vehicle and a truck collided head on.  Four of the passengers killed were children.


Preliminary investigations indicate that the light delivery vehicle and the truck collided head on resulting in the light delivery vehicle, which was carrying 14 occupants and a trailer, overturning.  Ten (10) people in the light delivery vehicle were killed instantly and (four) 4 of the occupants suffered injuries.  The injured have been taken to hospitals in the Bloemfontein area.


The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), a State Owned Company of the Department of Transport, has dispatched a team of crash and incident reconstruction and investigation experts to determine the cause of this crash.


“I am deeply saddened by this tragic occurrence and I would like to express my sincere condolences to the families, the friends and relatives of those who lost their loved ones and wish those who are injured a speedy recovery.  Our investigation team must leave no stone unturned and get to the bottom of what really happened that resulted in this horrific occurrence.  Ours must be an unwavering and relentless fight against the carnage on our roads.


We have to speak strongly against conduct that borders on recklessness and failure to act responsibly, especially when there are other passengers in the vehicle. Drivers who endanger passengers and other motorists' lives do not belong on our roads. Even though we cannot, at this stage, pronounce on the circumstances around this crash, it remains crucial that to warn our motorists that barrier lines, road construction sites and areas of poor visibility are enough signs not to overtake, no matter what make your vehicle is or how fast it can drive.


Together as South Africans we must do everything in our power to stop this carnage and save the lives of our people” said Minister Peters.


In line with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety on Post-crash Response, the Road Accident Fund is at hand to assist the families of the deceased with counseling services and where required assistance towards funeral arrangements.

Minister Peters has also called on motorists and all road users to be vigilant at all times and to observe all the rules of the road in the country.

“Our road users must understand that we have a goal to reduce and ultimately stabilize global road fatalities by 2020 – a goal set by the UN for all its member states,” concluded the Minister.