Share

8 people killed in a five-car pile-up in the Free State

0:00
play article
Subscribers can listen to this article

Eight people were killed in a horrific multiple vehicle pile-up involving five cars on the N3 between Warden and Villiers in the Free State on Saturday night.

The accident brought traffic to a standstill, with the entire N3 closed off near Warden, said Department of Police, Roads and Transport spokesperson Hillary Mothethe.

She added while the cause of the accident was still under investigation, it was suspected that slippery roads due to rainy weather might have caused the fatal pile-up.

Mothethe said emergency personnel and traffic officers were still at the scene of the accident.

"We still need to verify the cause of the accident but at the moment I can confirm that there has been a horrific accident and that eight people died instantly on the scene. We cannot confirm the number of people injured in the accident at the moment.

"Recovery is currently underway at the scene, but poor weather is contributing to a delay in opening the road to traffic.

"A Stop/Go will be implemented as soon as possible to assist vehicles to move past the scene.

"However, road users currently delayed at the crash site may not reach their destinations in time before the Level 3 curfew commences tonight. National, provincial and municipal law enforcement services have been informed of the current situation," added Mothethe.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Which election result are you most interested in tracking once vote counting begins?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
National - I'm ready for a Cabinet shake up
85% - 514 votes
Provincial – I need a premier with a plan
15% - 88 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.37
+0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.42
+0.3%
Rand - Euro
19.94
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.21
-0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
1,058.55
+2.3%
Palladium
985.26
+1.8%
Gold
2,344.86
+0.5%
Silver
30.83
+1.6%
Brent-ruolie
82.12
+0.9%
Top 40
72,786
+0.1%
All Share
79,151
0.0%
Resource 10
63,244
+1.1%
Industrial 25
109,895
+0.1%
Financial 15
17,094
-0.8%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE