A woman has died and several other people were injured following a multi-vehicle collision on the N3 between the Marianhill Toll Plaza and the Shongweni off-ramp west of Durban.
According to emergency services, the crash occurred after a truck travelling in the Durban-bound direction allegedly lost control and collided with a light motor vehicle. The impact caused the vehicle to overturn, triggering a chain-reaction collision involving several other vehicles.
Emergency personnel responded to the scene and found extensive damage across multiple vehicles.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said paramedics assessed several patients at the scene, but one woman succumbed to her injuries.
"Paramedics assessed the scene and found that one of the vehicle drivers, a female believed to be in her 30s, had sustained fatal injuries. There was nothing paramedics could do for her and she was declared dead at the scene," said Jamieson.
He added that three other motorists sustained minor to moderate injuries, while one patient required advanced life support treatment before being stabilised on scene.
The injured were treated by emergency medical personnel before being transported to nearby medical facilities for further care.
The collision caused major traffic disruptions, with authorities closing sections of the N3 in both directions while emergency crews, investigators and clean-up teams worked at the scene.
Jamieson said the Pietermaritzburg-bound carriageway was closed due to a spillage believed to be corn from the truck involved in the crash.
"The N3 Pietermaritzburg-bound is closed due to a spillage of what is believed to be corn and will remain closed for some time to allow investigators to conduct their work and for the clean-up operation to continue on the Durban-bound carriageway," he said.
Motorists have been urged to avoid the area and use the M13 as an alternative route while authorities continue with recovery operations and investigations into the cause of the crash.
The exact circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation.