The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has confirmed a serious collision on the N12 between Ogies and eMalahleni in Mpumalanga in the early hours of Monday morning.
According to RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane, a Toyota sedan with Mozambican registration plates was carrying five occupants when it collided with a Nissan NP200 bakkie transporting two people. The extent of injuries has not yet been detailed, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Zwane noted that the incident comes amid renewed RTMC warnings over the dangers posed by unroadworthy vehicles on South Africa’s roads. Over a six-day nationwide operation, officers stopped and inspected 229,612 vehicles at roadblocks.
Of these, 662 were taken off the road due to serious roadworthiness defects including worn tyres, faulty brakes, broken lights, cracked windscreens, leaking engines and defective steering systems. Zwane explained that any three such faults are enough for a vehicle to be discontinued.
An additional 727 vehicles were impounded for contraventions of the National Land Transportation Act, such as operating public transport services without valid permits.
Zwane urged motorists and operators to ensure their vehicles meet safety standards, warning that enforcement will be intensified as traffic volumes increase.