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At least 21 people have been killed after two minibus taxis and a sports utility vehicle collided on a highway in South Africa’s Western Cape province, authorities said.
The crash occurred on the road between Leeu-Gamka and Prince Albert, about 380 kilometres northeast of Cape Town, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), a government road safety partnership.
In a brief statement issued on Monday, the RTMC confirmed the scale of the tragedy, saying, “According to the information 21 persons sustained fatal injuries.”
The collision reportedly happened around 9:30 pm on Sunday, leading to the closure of the highway as emergency responders attended the scene. Police confirmed that a culpable homicide investigation had been opened to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
A police spokesperson told AFP that “several other occupants” were taken to hospital for treatment, although details about their conditions were not immediately released.
The incident adds to ongoing concerns over road safety in South Africa, which has one of the most developed road networks on the African continent but still records a high number of road fatalities.
Authorities have repeatedly identified speeding, reckless driving, unroadworthy vehicles and failure to use seat belts as major contributors to deadly crashes across the country.
Data from the RTMC showed that 11,485 people lost their lives in road crashes in South Africa in 2025, representing a decline of more than five per cent compared with the previous year. Pedestrians accounted for the largest share of fatalities during that period.
Road safety officials have continued to call for stronger enforcement measures and greater compliance with traffic regulations as the country works to reduce preventable deaths on its highways.
The latest crash has renewed attention on the risks faced by passengers and motorists travelling on long-distance routes, particularly those involving public transport vehicles.
