15 Die in Horrific Limpopo Accident Between Taxi and Bakkie, SA Shattered

15 Die in Horrific Limpopo Accident Between Taxi and Bakkie, SA Shattered

  • Fifteen people died during a horrific accident on the R40 road in Hoedspruit in the Limpopo province
  • It's not clear how the accident took place, but it's believed that a bakkie collided with a taxi, which then caught fire
  • South Africans were devastated and slammed taxi drivers, accusing them of poor driving skills
  • Stan Bezuidenhout, a crash investigator, spoke to Briefly News about the role technology can play in reducing road fatalities

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather and natural disaster-related incidents at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for seven years.

An accident on the R40 in Hoedspruit in Limpopo claimed eight lives
A horrific Limpopo accident left eight dead. Images: Tau Låmarcrɛam Xxdumbu/ Facebook and Klaus Vedfelt/ Getty Images
Source: UGC

HOEDSPRUIT, LIMPOPO — Fifteen people died in an accident in Hoedspruit, Limpopo on 8 February 2025.

What happened in Hoedspruit?

The accident took place on the R40 in Hoedsrpuit. A taxi allegedly carrying staff members of a store collided with a bakkie and caught fire. The passengers were reportedly trapped inside and perished in the fire. Firefighters and emergency personnel rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire.

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Similar horrific accidents

Crash expert speaks with Briefly News

Stan Bezuidenhout told Briefly News the role technology can play in reducing accidents on the road, especially involving buses.

"Emerging and existing technologies exist that would make any transport medium safer. The ones at the top of my list are: dash cameras or vehicle video telemetry systems that record on an ongoing basis; vehicle telemetry systems that record location, date, time, speed and even engine speed, throttle and brake input on a high-frequency basis; and integrated driver protection systems like geofencing, speed fencing, or passenger feedback systems," he said.

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Netizens react

South Africans commenting on SABC News's Facebook page were horrified.

South Africans were saddened by an accident in Limpopo
Netizens mourned the loss of eight lives in an accident. Image: Ekaterina Goncharova
Source: Getty Images

Xolela Simo November said:

"South Africa needs prayers."

Jozi Jozi said:

"Taxis and truck drivers: the forces behind wiping out a nation on our roads."

Rito Nsuku Hlangalezwe said:

"So sad. Our roads have become notorious slaughterhouses."

Nhlanhlaakani Thuso Godi said:

"you know, this R20 neh... there's something wrong with this road."

Thuthani Mathe said:

"Very sad indeed. Drivers, please let us be patient on the road, especially taxi drivers."

Ks Sekgobela said:

"May their souls rest in eternal peace."

5 die in horrific Vryheid accident

In another article, Briefly News reported that a police officer and four others died in a head-on collision on the R34 in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal. The accident happened two days before New Year's Day.

The constable was driving in a state vehicle when he crashed into another vehicle. He died, and four other passengers died in the accident.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tebogo Mokwena avatar

Tebogo Mokwena (Current Affairs editor) Tebogo Mokwena is the Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk and a current affairs writer at Briefly News. With a Diploma in Journalism from ALISON, he has a strong background in digital journalism, having completed training with the Google News Initiative. He began his career as a journalist at Daily Sun, where he worked for four years before becoming a sub-editor and journalist at Capricorn Post. He then joined Vutivi Business News in 2020 before moving to Briefly News in 2023.

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