12 EFF members killed in vehicle collision near Vryheid
DURBAN - Twelve Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supporters have died in a crash in KwaZulu-Natal.
A truck struck the bus the group was travelling in on Monday night on the R24 near Vryheid.
The EFF members were coming from a Youth Day rally in Durban on Monday.
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The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Confirmed: 10 fatalities in tragic R34 bus accident
Transport MEC Siboniso Duma confirms there were 10 fatalities – revised from 12 – from the tragic accident on the R34 between Vryheid and Ulundi early this morning (Tuesday). 'First and foremost, we wish to express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this morning's horrific accident involving a truck and a bus on the R34, Vryheid,' said Duma, after visiting the scene. 'I have also personally conveyed our sympathies to Marshall Dlamini, the secretary-general of the EFF. Innocent lives have been lost, and the lives of many families have been altered and turned upside down.' Duma said he inspected the scene of the accident, witnessing the trail of destruction left behind. 'Reduced visibility in the early hours of the morning and dismembered body parts resulted in miscalculation by RTI and emergency personnel,' said Duma. After Duma's interaction with Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) and SAPS, the following was confirmed: 10 dead – 3 women and 7 men; 33 victims able to walk; 33 injured but not critical; two critical. 'We have visited mortuaries and hospitals. The bodies of the deceased have been moved to Dundee Mortuary. The truck and bus drivers are alive and in hospitals.' Investigation Duma said the SAPS and Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) will conduct a comprehensive investigation to establish the cause of the accident, having received conflicting versions about what happened from the survivors. 'There are allegations that the bus driver tried to overtake. Other survivors have alleged that the bus driver fell asleep at the wheel. We do not want to speculate at this stage. We are confident that the investigation will shed light. 'We have in the past expressed our concerns about accidents involving trucks. Trucks are not supposed to be on this road in the first place and should be using the N2. Many innocent lives have been lost as a result of a huge number of trucks on our roads. 'We have been informed by Transnet that in the 2024 financial year, over 303 000 trucks used the Port of Richards Bay, averaging nearly 6 000 per week. It has been stated that the port's infrastructure was originally designed for a much smaller volume of trucks, approximately 200 per day. 'We continue to receive briefings from Transport Minister Barbra Creecy about efforts to resuscitate the rail network. Working with national government, we are doubling our efforts to ensure we strengthen plans to move cargo from road to rail,' said Duma. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
EFF sends condolences to families of R34 bus crash victims
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has sent condolences to the families of its 10 members who passed away in an accident on the R34 near Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal. The members died following a head-on collision between their bus and a truck on their way home coming from the party's Youth Day rally in Umlazi, south of Durban on Monday. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and Human Settlements has also revised the death toll from 12 to 10. As previously reported, KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements and Transport spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya said that based on the report from the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI), after the head-on collision, the truck struck the side of the bus. Sadly, a total of 10 passengers died and were taken to Vryheid mortuary, while ten passengers were seriously injured and were transported to various local hospitals. Moreover, 33 passengers were slightly injured while three suffered moderate injuries, and two victims are in a critical condition. Notably, the truck and bus drivers survived and were also taken to hospital. In a statement, the EFF said the 12 fighters must be remembered as heroes as they lost their lives following a show of support for the revolution they belonged to. 'These were committed fighters who had attended the rally to honour the courage of the youth of 1976 and to continue the struggle for economic freedom. They died in the line of duty, and their lives will never be forgotten. 'The process of identifying the deceased is ongoing and we are working with relevant authorities to ensure families are informed and supported,' the party said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
2 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
KZN bus and truck crash death toll revised to 10
Duma said they received conflicting versions from survivors on the cause of the accident and investigations are ongoing. 'There are allegations the bus driver tried to overtake. Other survivors have alleged he fell asleep at the steering wheel. We do not want to speculate at this stage. We are confident the investigation will shed light.' The EFF has confirmed the victims were their supporters who were travelling home after the party's Youth Day rally in Durban. 'The EFF sends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who have lost their lives. These fighters lost their lives following a show of support for the revolution they belonged to and they must be remembered as heroes to whom we owe a great debt,' the party said in a statement on Tuesday. 'These were committed fighters who had attended the rally to honour the courage of the youth of 1976 and to continue the struggle for economic freedom.' The party said it was working with relevant authorities to identify the deceased and support the families. Duma confirmed he had conveyed condolences to EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini and the department was working with the party. He expressed concern about the number of road accidents involving trucks in the province. 'Trucks are not supposed to be on this road in the first place and should be using the N2. Many innocent lives have been lost as a result of a huge number of trucks on our roads.' He said Transnet had confirmed more than 303,000 trucks, averaging nearly 6,000 per week, had used its Richards Bay port in the 2024 financial year, while the port's infrastructure was originally designed for a much smaller volume of trucks, about 200 per day. He emphasised the need to revitalise the rail network to move cargo and reduce road accidents, something national government is working on. Meanwhile, Premier Thami Ntuli said the provincial government was worried about the causes of bus accidents in the province. He said they needed to engage bus owners and drivers on problems such as speeding and overloading, ensuring that buses are in good condition and there are multiple drivers when the duration of trips demands it. 'It's something that is very worrisome, we have lost many lives through bus accidents in KZN which speaks a lot to the bus conditions, behaviour of drivers and the issue of owners wanting to make more profit by overloading buses. Those are some of the things we need to address.' He added they would also communicate with political parties to ensure they choose buses that are in good condition and avoid overloading when planning to host major events.
