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A head-on collision between two minibus taxis and an SUV on a major South African highway claimed at least 21 lives and left four others critically injured, authorities reported on Monday. The devastating crash occurred late Sunday night between the towns of Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka, roughly 380 kilometers east of Cape Town.

The RTMC, the national traffic agency, confirmed that the collision involved two Toyota minibus taxis and a Suzuki sport utility vehicle. Eighteen individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, while three died after being transported to a hospital, raising the total death toll to 21. Four people sustained serious injuries, according to the Western Cape Mobility Department.

The N1 highway was shut down at the crash location. Police initiated a culpable homicide investigation, and the cause of the collision remained under scrutiny. The RTMC dispatched investigators to the scene, while the Western Cape collision was one of two major crashes that claimed at least 29 lives across the country over the weekend.

In a separate incident near Ermelo in Mpumalanga province early Sunday, eight people lost their lives. Minibus taxis, the primary mode of public transport for millions in South Africa, frequently become involved in fatal accidents. Two additional crashes involving minibus taxis in January resulted in at least 25 deaths, including 14 children.