Deadly Eastern Cape Crash Claims Three Lives As Vanderbijlpark PDP Lapse Sparks Outrage

Three people have been killed and five others injured following a multiple-vehicle collision on the R63 near Debe Nek, outside Qonce towards Alice, in the Eastern Cape.

The accident occurred on Tuesday, 20 January, at approximately 4pm.

Eastern Cape Crash Details

Eastern Cape Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said preliminary information suggests that two Toyota bakkies were travelling in the same direction from Middledrift when the collision occurred, while a Toyota Corolla was travelling from Qonce.

“One Toyota bakkie, carrying two Fidelity security crew members, was travelling from Middledrift. The second Toyota bakkie, transporting three male occupants and loaded with livestock, was also travelling from Middledrift. The Toyota Corolla, with two occupants, was travelling from Qonce,” Binqose said.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Deadly Negligence: Lesufi Confirms Expired Permit In Vanderbijlpark School Transport Crash

The three male occupants travelling in the bakkie transporting livestock sustained fatal injuries. The four injured occupants from the Fidelity security vehicle, as well as the two occupants of the Toyota Corolla, were taken to Grey Hospital in Qonce for further medical treatment.

Binqose confirmed that the cause of the accident is under investigation by the relevant authorities.

“A case of culpable homicide and negligent driving has been opened at Chungwa Sapa Police Station for further investigation,” he said.

The Department of Transport has conveyed its condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Vanderbijlpark scholar transport tragedy

Meanwhile, authorities have confirmed that the professional driving permit (PDP) of the driver arrested in Monday’s devastating scholar transport crash in Vanderbijlpark had expired last year.

The accident, which occurred on the R553 Golden Highway, claimed the lives of 12 pupils and has left the Sedibeng community in mourning.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said investigations revealed that the driver was operating the vehicle illegally at the time of the crash.

“Based on the work done by the police, we have now established that the PDP, which is the public driver’s certificate, had expired last year in November, and therefore he was driving without the necessary permits,” Lesufi said.

Gauteng police have confirmed that the 22-year-old driver of the scholar transport vehicle has been arrested and will face charges linked to the fatal crash.

---

For More, Follow SurgeZirc SA On Facebook, X,  Instagram and Bluesky