A collision involving a cow on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast has left two men dead after a bakkie they were travelling in crashed and triggered a chain-reaction accident on Wednesday morning.
The incident occurred on the R61 in Munster, where the pair was reportedly travelling from Port Edward to Port Shepstone for work when the animal wandered into the roadway.
According to the KwaZulu Private Ambulance Service, the cow caused the bakkie to swerve into oncoming traffic.
Spokesperson Craig Botha said an approaching truck attempted to avoid a head-on collision but lost control in the process.
“In a desperate bid to avoid a head-on collision, an oncoming truck attempted an emergency evasive manoeuvre,” Botha said. “However, the momentum caused the truck to overturn, effectively sealing off the entire roadway with twisted metal and debris.”
Emergency services arrived to a complex and heavily damaged scene. Paramedics found the occupants of the bakkie trapped inside the wreckage.
“Tragically, both men had sustained catastrophic, non-survivable injuries and were declared deceased at the scene,” Botha confirmed.
The truck driver survived the crash with minor injuries and was treated on site before being taken to a nearby medical facility for observation.
The Ray Nkonyeni Municipality fire and traffic departments worked alongside emergency responders to secure and manage the scene.
The R61 remains closed in both directions while the South African Police Service investigates the circumstances surrounding the crash. Motorists have been urged to avoid the area, with delays expected as recovery operations continue.