One person was killed and several others, including children, were injured when a long-distance minibus taxi overturned on the N3 Pietermaritzburg-bound carriageway near Cato Ridge on Wednesday afternoon.
The crash occurred shortly after 1:30pm near the BP Oasis, just before the Cato Ridge off-ramp. Footage from the scene showed the taxi lying on its side with passengers' luggage strewn across the highway.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said emergency crews arrived to find one occupant trapped inside the wreckage with fatal injuries. The identity of the deceased has not yet been released.
Paramedics treated several other passengers, including children, at the scene, though the exact number of injured commuters has yet to be confirmed.
Severe traffic delays on the N3
The collision caused major traffic disruptions on the Pietermaritzburg-bound carriageway, with only a single lane open to passing vehicles.
Jamieson warned that the road would remain congested for an extended period while emergency services cleared the wreckage, waited for mortuary services, and allowed authorities to conduct an on-scene investigation.
“I’d advise motorists to avoid this route at all costs,” Jamieson said.
The cause of the rollover remains unknown, and police will investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.