11 dead in minibus and truck collision in South Africa days after a similar crash killed 14 children

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A collision involving a minibus taxi and a truck killed at least 11 people in South Africa on Thursday, a local government official and emergency services said, just over a week after a similar road crash left 14 schoolchildren dead.

Thursday’s crash happened near the city of Durban in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province. Provincial transport department official Siboniso Duma said in a statement that 11 people including a schoolchild died at the scene, although that was according to preliminary information.

“Witnesses have alleged that the truck driver made a U-turn resulting in a head-on collision,” Duma said.

Garrith Jamieson, spokesperson for the private paramedic service ALS Paramedics, said 11 were dead and several people were critically injured, including the driver of the minibus, who was trapped in the wreckage.

The fatal collision came days after a deadly head-on crash between a minibus taxi being used to transport schoolchildren and a truck.

The driver of the minibus involved in that crash near Johannesburg on Jan. 19 was arrested and charged with 14 counts of murder after authorities alleged he was driving recklessly by overtaking a line of vehicles before crashing into the truck.

The 22-year-old driver was initially charged with an offense comparable to manslaughter, but the charges were upgraded to murder, according to state prosecutors.

Minibus taxis are the preferred method of public transport for most South Africans to get to and from work, with estimates that they are used by approximately 70% of commuters.

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