- Nine people died in the early hours of Thursday morning in Beaufort West and Murraysburg.
- The scene has since been cleared and motorists have been urged to be extra vigilant when driving at night.
- Earlier this week, News24 reported that eight people were killed in a head on collision on the N1, about 30 km from Beaufort West.
Two head-on collisions on Western Cape roads have claimed the lives of nine people.
According to police spokesperson Sergeant Christopher Spies, two cases of culpable homicide have been opened following the two fatal accidents in Beaufort West and Murraysburg on Thursday.
Six people died in Beaufort West and three in Murraysburg.
"At about 00:50, police were dispatched to a scene outside Beaufort West where two vehicles, a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi with three occupants and Toyota Corolla with seven occupants, collided head-on," he said.
One occupant, believed to be the driver of the minibus, sustained multiple injuries and was declared dead on the scene.
"...five occupants of the light motor vehicle sustained serious injuries and were also declared deceased," Spies said.
According to the police, two other occupants of the Toyota Corolla sustained multiple injuries and were transported to a hospital in George for medical care.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the vehicles were traveling in opposite directions - one to and the other from the Cape Metropole.
Meanwhile, Murraysburg police attended a scene where three occupants of a Hyundai i10, two men and one woman, died on the N1 near Three Sisters at about 04:00.
Spies added that information gathered at the scene indicated that the Hyundai i10 and a delivery truck collided head-on.
"The three sustained multiple injuries. They were declared deceased by medical personnel on the scene. The truck driver was unharmed," Spies added.
The circumstances of both accidents are under police investigation, Spies said.
Provincial transport department spokesperson Jandré Bakker confirmed that the stop-and-go service that was put in place at the scene was cleared, but urged road users to practise patience because "a little bit of a tailback" in the area is expected.
"We are urging road users to be extra vigilant on our roads, especially at night, and to rest regularly," Bakker added.
Earlier this week News24 reported that eight people died on the N1, about 30km from Beaufort West on Monday morning.
"Reports gathered from the scene indicate that a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi and a red Volkswagen Polo collided head-on. At least eight occupants, two in the minibus and six in the motor vehicle sustained serious injuries. They were declared dead by paramedics on the scene," Spies said.
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