/ 3 March 2008

Ten killed in smash near Pietermaritzburg

Ten people were killed on Monday morning in an accident on the N3 highway near Pietermaritzburg, transport officials said.

Rajen Chinnaboo, spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal transport department said the accident took place on the N3 Durban-bound highway before the Shongweni offramp at 7:30am.

”A bakkie travelling north-bound lost control, went across the centre medium and collided head-on into a Volkswagen. The bakkie then went across the road and down an embankment on the south-bound freeway,” said Chinnaboo.

Two other cars then slammed into the Volkswagen.

Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said ten people were declared dead at the scene, one person was critically injured and two others were in a serious condition.

The Durban-bound N3 was closed as police gathered evidence at the scene.

Motorists were urged to use an alternate route. – Sapa