CAPE TOWN, July 3 (Xinhua) -- A total of 15 people, including a baby and a toddler, died in an accident involving a minibus taxi and a heavy-duty truck in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa on Sunday evening, local media reported on Monday.
According to Unathi Binqose, provincial transport department spokesperson, it is alleged that on the N9 road near Middelburg at about 11:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, a heavy-duty truck hit a stray animal and the driver lost control.
As the driver was trying to regain control, its trailer overturned and landed on top of a fully-loaded passing minibus taxi heading in the opposite direction, Binqose was quoted as saying by local media.
The 15 deceased were all passengers of the minibus taxi. The driver of the truck escaped with minor injuries. Among the deceased are nine women, four men, and two baby girls, a two-year-old and a two-month-old, according to the spokesperson.
"It has since emerged that the victims had just returned from a funeral and were on their way back to Cape Town, so they were closely related, whether by blood or friendship," Binqose added.
A case of culpable homicide has been opened at the local police station for further investigation. ■
