Traffic Officer Declared Dead After State Vehicle Collides With Long-Distance Bus in Jeffreys Bay

• A traffic officer was tragically killed in an head-on collision on the N2 in Jeffreys Bay on Monday, 27 April 2026
• The road was closed for a period of time while officials worked to free the officials body from the State vehicle
• Tributes poured in from the Department of Transport for the victim who was identified as Bertha Beaulah Van Vuuren Fortuin

EASTERN CAPE - An on-duty traffic officer has tragically passed away in a head-on collision on the N2 in Jeffreys Bay.

The officer was declared deceased at the scene after the State vehicle she was travelling in collided with a long-distance bus on Monday, 27 April 2026.

A case of culpable homicide has been opened by the Jeffreys Bay SAPS, and investigations continue into the cause of the fatal accident.

Officer declared deceased at the scene

According to available information, the officer was travelling back to her station after responding to an earlier scene when the accident occurred.

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Emergency services officials worked to free her from the wreckage, where she was trapped, but she was declared dead on impact. The occupants of the bus were unharmed in the collision. It is unclear at present how many people were aboard the bus.

The cause of the collission is yet to be determined.

Tributes pour in for traffic officer

Tributes have since poured in for the traffic officer who has been identified as Bertha Beaulah Van Vuuren Fortuin.

According to other information, it was confirmed that Fortuin was returning to her post from an accident scene when she collided head-on with an Intercape bus. Both vehicles came to a rest off the road.

She died on impact but was trapped in the wreckage for over an hour as officials worked on extracting her body. Spokesperson for the Department of Transport, Makhaya Komisa, said they were saddened by her passing.

The Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for Transport and Safety, Xolile Nqatha, described it was a not only as a loss to Fortuin’s family, but also to the department and the entire law enforcement agencies in the province.

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“The tragic passing of Van Vuuren Fortuin is a huge blow to the province's attempts to improve road safety and reduce fatalities in our province.

"On behalf of the Department of Transport, I would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to the grieving family, friends and colleagues of the late officer,” MEC Nqatha said.

Other stories about traffic officers involved in accidents

Briefly News has reported on other stories in which traffic officers were killed or injured in accidents on the country's roads.

• A traffic officer passed away in 2021 in Gauteng after an unroadworthy taxi reportedly collided with him at a roadblock.
• Two traffic officers sustained serious injuries after being hit by a taxi while on duty near the Mooi River Toll Plaza in March 2024.
• A traffic officer was declared deceased after a minibus taxi struck him on the N2 in Mpumalanga on 5 February 2026.

Source: Briefly News