A horror crash involving at least two trucks and six cars on the N3 eastbound to Durban has claimed the lives of at least three people and led to a massive backlog of traffic into the city on Tuesday.
Unconfirmed reports from the scene of the accident indicate that a high-ranking, provincial government official may have been travelling in one of the cars involved in the accident.
Department of Transport spokesperson Kwanele Ncale said three people had been confirmed dead so far in the crash, which had resulted in traffic being backed up on the busy freeway for several hours from around 10:00. The names of the victims and injured have not yet been released by the department.
However, a statement issued by Medi Response paramedics that was shared widely on social media, reported that four people had been killed in the crash.
“Medi Response search and rescue division are currently on the scene of a multi-vehicle collision involving six vehicles and two trucks. One light motor vehicle was swept beneath a truck and was severely damaged, killing all four occupants. Multiple patients are being treated on the scene and extrication of the deceased is ongoing. Traffic remains affected,” Medi Response said.
According to an eyewitness, reports at the scene of the accident suggested that the brakes of one of the trucks had allegedly failed. The truck was also allegedly overloaded, carrying around 70 tons of what appeared to be chromium.
The N3 was still closed due to the accident at 12:34.
