Road crash involving multiple vehicles in S. Africa kills at least 21, officials say

Authorities in South Africa say a road crash involving two minibus taxis and an SUV has killed at least 21 people

CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- Two minibus taxis collided head-on, and an SUV crashed into them on one of South Africa's main highways, killing at least 21 people and leaving four others seriously injured, authorities said Monday.

The crash on Sunday night in the Western Cape Province took place between the small towns of Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka, around 380 kilometers (235 miles) east of Cape Town, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, or RTMC, the national traffic agency.

The collision involved two Toyota minibus taxis and a Suzuki sport utility vehicle, police spokesperson Warrant Officer Christopher Spies said.

Eighteen people were declared dead at the scene. Three others were declared dead after being taken to a hospital, bringing the toll to 21, Spies said. Four other people were seriously injured, the Western Cape Mobility Department.

The death toll “may change as emergency services and authorities in the Western Cape continue their assessment of the scene,” RTMC said.

The N1 highway was closed at the crash scene. Police opened a culpable homicide case, and the cause of the collision remained under investigation, Spies said. RTMC also sent investigators to the scene.

The Western Cape collision was one of two major crashes that killed at least 29 people across South Africa over the weekend, the government said in a statement. Eight people were killed in a separate crash near Ermelo in Mpumalanga province early Sunday.

Minibus taxis are the main mode of public transport for millions of people in South Africa and are often involved in fatal collisions . Two separate crashes involving minibus taxis in January left at least 25 people dead, including 14 children.