Chaos on the N3 as deadly crash leaves one dead and dozens traumatised

A Sunday drive turns tragic

What should have been a routine Sunday afternoon on the N3 turned into a nightmare when a violent crash claimed one life and left a dozen others injured just outside Pietermaritzburg.

The collision happened on the Durban-bound side of the highway near the Camperdown off-ramp at around 1.30pm. According to emergency responders, a bakkie carrying passengers collided with another vehicle, lost control and rolled, ejecting people onto one of the country’s busiest highways.

‘Total chaos’ on the scene

ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson described a scene few emergency workers ever forget.

“When medics arrived, it was total chaos,” he said. “Passengers had been thrown from the bakkie and were lying on the roadway. We immediately called in more ambulances because of the number of injured people.”

The driver of the bakkie, a man in his forties, suffered critical injuries. Despite advanced life support efforts on the scene, he went into cardiac arrest and was declared dead before he could be transported.

Twelve other people were rushed to various government hospitals, some by ambulances dispatched all the way from Durban Central to cope with the scale of the emergency.

Investigations underway

At this stage, the exact cause of the crash remains unclear. SAPS and the Road Traffic Inspectorate were on scene to begin investigations, while traffic was heavily affected as emergency teams worked to clear the wreckage and assist the injured.

Images and eyewitness accounts shared on social media painted a grim picture, with many users expressing shock at how often serious crashes occur along the N3 corridor.

A worrying pattern on KZN roads

This crash comes just days after another devastating accident in the province. Last week, 11 people were killed on the R102 near Isipingo, south of Durban, when a taxi and a truck were involved in a deadly collision. Eight others were critically injured.

KZN Transport MEC Sibiniso Duma described that crash as a “painful moment” for the province, revealing troubling details about roadworthiness and compliance. The truck involved reportedly had worn tyres, while the taxi driver’s professional driving permit had expired in 2023. The taxi was also overloaded.

More than statistics

For many in KwaZulu-Natal, these crashes are no longer just headlines, they’re reminders of daily risks on the roads. As investigations continue into the N3 tragedy, questions around vehicle safety, enforcement and driver behaviour are once again in the spotlight.

For now, families mourn, survivors recover, and a province grapples with yet another reminder of how quickly lives can be lost on its highways.