Several critically injured after bakkie carrying 15 people overturns in KZN

Several people, including children, were critically injured after a bakkie carrying approximately 15 family members and friends overturned on the R617 near Bulwer in KwaZulu-Natal.

The crash happened on Sunday, 11 October 2026, and left multiple occupants ejected from the vehicle, prompting an emergency response from Midlands EMS.

Paramedics arrived to find several injured people lying on the roadway, with some requiring immediate life-saving treatment.

Multiple casualties at crash scene

Midlands EMS Howick crews were dispatched to the scene after the bakkie overturned.

Spokesperson Roland Robertson said emergency personnel were confronted with a serious situation involving multiple casualties.

“When paramedics arrived, they were confronted with a devastating scene. Multiple occupants had been ejected from the vehicle and were lying on the roadway, with several patients in a critical condition requiring immediate life-saving intervention,” Robertson said.

The crash involved both adults and minors, with emergency teams working to assess and stabilise the injured before transporting them to various hospitals for further treatment.

Robertson described the response as complex because several patients required medical attention at the same time.

The exact circumstances that caused the vehicle to overturn remain under investigation. The total number of people injured and their latest conditions have not been confirmed in the information provided.

KZN still reeling from fatal N2 collision

The crash comes days after another serious road accident in KwaZulu-Natal claimed 11 lives and left nine people seriously injured.

The collision, involving a taxi and a truck, occurred on the N2 near Mtubatuba in the early hours of Sunday morning last week.

The taxi was reportedly transporting Maskandi music fans home from a festival in Melmoth when the vehicles collided. The taxi caught fire after the impact, and nine victims were reportedly burnt beyond recognition.

The incident prompted renewed calls for caution on the province’s roads as authorities continued working to identify the deceased and investigate the cause of the collision.

Premier urges motorists to take care

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli expressed condolences to the families affected by the N2 crash and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

He also thanked emergency personnel and others who assisted at the scene.

Ntuli urged motorists to exercise caution, particularly during early-morning journeys when fatigue can affect concentration and reaction times. He also called on law enforcement agencies to strengthen the enforcement of road safety regulations.

As investigations continue into both incidents, the R617 crash has left families awaiting updates on the condition of those injured near Bulwer.

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Source: The Citizen