The North West department of Transport has confirmed that five people were killed in two
separate crashes on Saturday morning. According to the department, a female pedestrian was fatally knocked down by a vehicle around 01 am on the N12 outside Wolmaransstad.
It is alleged that the vehicle was then hit from behind by another one following it in the same direction. The driver and the passenger were declared dead at the scene while four other people, including a two-year-old infant, were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
Meanwhile, the N4 in Rustenburg has since been reopened following a head-on collision of a bakkie and a truck that caught fire and was completely gutted before 2 am claiming the life of the driver of the bakkie.
The department says the debris was all over the road leading it to be partially closed.
Another motorist died when he lost control of the vehicle that allegedly rolled several times after driving over the dregs. Authorities in the province have launched an investigation into the crashes while Transport MEC Sello Lehari calls on motorists to obey the rules of the road.
The North West province came forth with the least fatalities recorded in the festive season moving from 119 fatalities to 94 a decrease of 21%. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announced that there were 1 400 road fatalities recorded in the country during the Festive period, which is a 13.9% decline compared to the previous
year where more than 600 people died on the roads.