Johannesburg - One person has died and 34 others have been injured in three separate crashes in Durban, Gauteng and Pietermaritzburg on Saturday morning, paramedics said.

In Pinetown, Durban one person was killed and four others were injured, three critically so, after a collision on Main Road near Cheshire Road in Northdene Pinetown area, Rescue Care paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said.

Paramedics arrived at the scene just before 08:00am, and found two vehicles had collided before one of them left the roadway and collided with a tree.

"The driver who was entrapped had sustained major injuries and there was nothing more paramedics could do for him and he was declared deceased on the scene," Jamieson said.

The other four occupants, two men and two women, had also sustained serious injuries, he said. The driver of the second vehicle did not sustain any injury, he said.

(RescueCare)

In Vereeniging, south of Johannesburg, 11 people were left injured when a panel van crashed into the side of the minibus taxi they were travelling in at the Houtkop and Van Riebeeck Road intersection, ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said.

Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the taxi lying on its side, on the side of the road. The panel van was found parked a short distance away.

Some of the taxi passengers were found walking around on the scene.

(ER24)

Meanwhile, in Pietermaritzburg, 19 people were left injured when a taxi crashed into a roadside ditch along the Table Mountain Road outside of Pietermaritzburg, Meiring said.

Paramedics arrived at the scene around 09:35am to find the taxi on the side of the road.

"The passengers had already climbed out of the vehicle and were found walking around on the scene."

Most of the occupants had sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate.

"Fortunately, no serious injuries were found on the scene."

All injured occupants were treated on the scene before being transported to nearby healthcare facilities for further care. 

(ER24)