- Eight people were killed on Friday just after midnight in a multiple vehicle collision on the N1 in the Western Cape.
- The crash involved one truck and two taxis.
- It's alleged that one taxi overtook the other when it hit the truck in the oncoming lane.
The new year started on a sombre note in the Western Cape where a collision between truck and two taxis shortly after midnight left eight people dead.
The accident occurred on the N1 approximately 10km outside Leeu-Gamka at 00:05 on Friday.
Leeu-Gamka is a small town located 355km northeast of Cape Town in the Karoo.
Western Cape traffic spokesperson Jandre Bakker said according to preliminary reports, the truck was travelling in the direction of Cape Town while the two taxis were travelling towards the Eastern Cape.
Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Simon Zwane said the crash allegedly occurred when one of the taxis overtook the other in the oncoming lane when it hit the truck.
"The truck sideswiped that minibus taxi and, in the process, ended up colliding head-on with the second minibus," Zwane said.
Bakker said the driver of one of the taxis – who was the only occupant of the vehicle – died, while six passengers and the driver of the other taxi were killed in the collision.
The driver of the truck was seriously injured.
"The cause of the crash is being investigated. A stop-and-go is in place, but the road may be closed for short periods when the scene is cleared," Bakker said.
"We ask road users to be patient."