N3 Northbound to Johannesburg Closed After Serious Crash Involving Fuel Tanker, Three Confirmed Dead
- A fuel tanker and a light motor vehicle crashed on the N3 northbound, going towards Johannesburg, on Tuesday, 16 December 2025
- A spokesperson for IPSS Medical Rescue confirmed that several people were killed, while one person was in a critical condition
- Officials were concerned about highly flammable cargo, as one of the vehicles involved in the fatal crash was a fuel tanker
Source: Twitter
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
KWAZULU-NATAL – The N3 northbound, going towards Johannesburg from Estcourt, has been closed following a serious crash.
The accident, which happened between Estcourt and the Tugela River, near the Frere Interchange, happened on the morning of Tuesday, 16 December 2025.
The crash involved two vehicles, one of which is a fuel tanker, and has reportedly claimed three lives. Samantha Meyrick, a spokesperson for IPSS Medical Rescue, later confirmed that three people passed on.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
“There is one critically injured patient who is currently under the care of IPSS Medical Rescue advanced life support paramedics,” Meyrick said.
Officials are concerned about highly flammable cargo
Officials on scene are urging motorists to approach the area with extreme caution and to follow all safety instructions.
There is a concern over the risks associated with the highly flammable cargo that the truck was carrying. The scene remains closed, and extensive delays and a backlog of traffic are expected in the area as clean-up operations get underway.
Source: Getty Images
How did South Africans react to the accident
Social media users shared mixed reactions to the accident, with some blaming bad driving for the latest fatal crash on the country's roads.
Mohwiti Modifa said:
“Some people are hyper even when driving.”
Ntombi Bhese urged:
“To KZN authorities, can you first deal with allocating trucks their own lane, and put an emphasis on them to stick to their lane to mitigate this.”
Rita Botha said:
“I spent four hours driving on the N2 yesterday. The level of aggressive driving is just insane. Let’s not even talk about the insanity of overtaking on a solid white line. And the big truck nightmare on our roads. You risk your life every single time you drive a car on these highways.”
Nokuthula Thuli Sithole asked:
“What's the matter with the drivers? They are so impatient on the road.”
Lynne Barker stated:
“It’s so sad to see this carnage every single day.”
Seiso Othoane claimed:
“The roads are full of imbeciles.”
Other N3 crashes involving trucks
Briefly News reported that there have been several accidents on the N3 involving trucks.
- Four people were killed in a horrific collision on the N3 near Bergville in KwaZulu-Natal in August 2025.
- One person was confirmed dead following a multi-vehicle collision on the N3 highway in September 2025.
- In October 2025, a truck carrying new cars crashed on the N3 near the Pavilion Shopping Mall.
Source: Briefly News
