Five people were killed and two others seriously injured in an early morning accident in Mahikeng, North West.
The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management said the accident occurred at 12:30 am on the Riviera Bridge near the rugby stadium.
Departmental spokesperson, Oshebeng Koonyaditse, said a preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicles, a sedan and a utility vehicle, were both heading towards Mahikeng CBD. They travelled from the north-east to the south-west on the R49 road linking Mahikeng and Zeerust.
"It appears one of the vehicles was overtaking another when bumping (the other) on the driver's side."
He said three people were declared dead at the scene, and two others died in hospital. One of the drivers is among the five killed.
Two others were seriously injured and were taken to hospital.
A case of culpable homicide is being investigated.
In a separate accident, ER24 paramedics said four people were killed and another was left in critical condition following a head-on collision between a light motor vehicle and a bakkie, on Lothair road about 15km outside Ermelo in Mpumalanga.
The light vehicle was found lying on its roof with five people trapped inside.
"Medics assessed the patients and found that two women, a man, and a two-year-old child had sustained fatal injuries in the collision.
"Unfortunately, nothing could be done for them, and they were declared dead," ER24 said in a statement.
"Another woman in his 30s was found with several injuries and was in critical condition. The woman was treated and provided with advanced life support interventions before she was transported to Ermelo Provincial Hospital for urgent care."
The driver of the bakkie sustained minor injuries but declined treatment or transportation to hospital.
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