Harrowing details emerge of deadly N3 pile-up
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has described the scale of the nine-car pile up on the N3, which claimed the lives of 16 people, as terrifying.
Only 12 people escaped with injuries after three trucks, two minibus taxis and four cars collided on the road between Peter Brown Road and the Chatterton off-ramp in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday morning.
Seven women and nine men that were travelling from Gauteng to Harding in a minibus taxi were all burnt beyond recognition.
A seven-year-old boy survived the blaze after his trapped mother was able to squeeze him through the window and pass him through to a traffic officer just before the vehicle caught fire.
He's being treated for internal injuries at the Northdale hospital.
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KZN Transport Head of Department Siboniso Mbhele visited the scene on Saturday.
"Apparently, what then happened is that a truck had an accident and was lying on the side.
"In the first accident, we didn't lose anyone, but subsequently, an hour later another truck it is alleged he couldn't stop and went in the back of a minibus taxi which had people inside.
"It is also alleged that all those people we lost came from the minibus taxi."
