ALSO READ: N1 collision's death toll up to 13

Opposition parties, including the EFF and ActionSA, raised concerns about the lack of traffic officials on various provincial and national roads. The EFF’s provincial secretary, Malefane Msimanga, says one of the contributing factors is the non-visibility of traffic officers on the roads.

Msimanga says the department, under the political direction of MEC William Bulwane, is deficient and careless about the lives of the people.

“The Economic Freedom Fighters have noted with concern the accidents currently occurring within the Free State Province. We have noted that there are about eleven people that have passed on, including three children, and five people that have been injured due to the road accident near the Toll Plaza towards Winburg. We are calling on the department to pay traffic officers their overtime with immediate effect so that they can be visible on the roads again,” Msimanga added.

ALSO READ: Free State traffic officers protest

ActionSA's Free State provincial chairperson, Patricia Kopane, also raised concerns and said ActionSA will continue its call on National Government and all rail agencies to fix the rail system urgently. Kopane said the party calls on increased visible policing on this stretch of road to ensure that trucks and taxis are roadworthy and that the rules of the road (speeding) are adhered to by all road users.

“ActionSA Free State extends heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives following the N1 accident near the Verkeerdevlei Toll Plaza, towards Winburg, in the Free State. ActionSA expresses its deepest sympathies to the families of the deceased and prays for the speedy recovery of the two who are injured,” Kopane added.

Meanwhile, MEC Bulwane said it is a great pity that the Festive Season starts on such a sad note in the Free State Province. He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased.

MEC Bulwane has since urged all motorists to drive with extra caution during this time of year since our roads are already extremely busy as we are approaching the peak Festive Season. The department is to respond to allegations levelled against it over the non-payment of traffic officials’ overtime and the lack of visibility on provincial and national roads.

“It is reported that at around 03:25, a truck collided with a taxi on the N1, 17 kilometres before the Verkeerdevlei Toll Plaza on the way to Winburg. In addition to the deaths, two passengers are critically injured and one sustained minor injuries and was taken to the Pelonomi Trauma Hospital in Bloemfontein,” Bulwane added.

 The 47-year-old truck driver, who was involved in the accident, has since been arrested and will face charges of culpable homicide.

ALSO READ: Police arrest truck driver after N1 collision

Police spokesperson, Stephen Thakeng, said the head-on collision claimed the lives of seven male persons, 1 baby boy, and 3 girls who were all certified dead on the scene. Thakeng added that one boy and two girls, aged between 10 and 12 years old, were admitted to the Pelonomi Trauma Hospital with serious injuries.

According to him, the minibus involved in the collision with the truck was travelling from Johannesburg in Gauteng to Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape. “The truck driver was travelling from Postmasburg to Durban while the minibus Quantum was travelling from Johannesburg to Sterkspruit. The Traffic Department and members of Verkeerdevlei SAPS attended to the scene and controlled the traffic while experts were busy investigating the crime scene,” Thakeng further added.

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