Police are investigating a case of culpable homicide following a car crash that claimed the lives of six people in Tzaneen, Limpopo, on Saturday night.
Limpopo transport and community safety spokesperson Mike Maringa said an inquest had been opened into the car accident.
Maringa said six people were confirmed dead following a horrific accident involving two Sedans on the R71 road near Letsetele-Letaba Junction outside Tzaneen in Mopani.
''It is alleged that the driver of a speeding Ford Sedan lost control of the vehicle and collided head-on with an oncoming VW Sedan before bursting into flames. The driver was pulled out of the burning car by security personnel from the nearby filling station. All the five occupants in the VW were also certified dead on the scene,’’ said Maringa.
Maringa said the deceased were between the ages of 35 and 50. Three of the deceased are from the same family. They were coming from a funeral in Bushbuckridge heading to Giyani.
He said reckless driving was cited as the possible cause of the accident.
Meanwhile, in another accident reported in Mopani on the R40 outside Phalaborwa, a 19-year-old passenger was killed when a driver of a Toyota SUV that they were travelling in lost control of the vehicle and overturned.
Transport and community safety MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya conveyed her heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and called on motorists to adhere to the speed limit when driving.
''The MEC says accidents reported over the weekends and in the early hours of the morning are a cause for concern,’’ said Maringa.
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