Five burnt beyond recognition as minibus taxi skips robot and slams into other vehicles [VIDEO]

On Tuesday evening, a minibus taxi in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, allegedly ignored a red light and collided with two Mercedes-Benz vehicles, resulting in five people being burnt beyond recognition and ten others suffering injuries. The accident occurred at a busy intersection, sparking a fire and prompting the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to investigate a potential culpable homicide case.

The taxi, a red Toyota Hi-Ace minibus, was traveling northbound on Old Pretoria Main Road when the driver allegedly failed to stop at a traffic signal. The taxi then crashed into a black Mercedes-Benz G63 and a silver Mercedes-Benz C-Class, both traveling eastbound on Maxwell Drive. Following the collision, both vehicles caught fire.

The adult male driver of the minibus taxi sustained serious injuries and was taken to Tembisa Hospital. Tragically, five passengers – two males and three females – were killed and identified only by their gender, their bodies never recognized. Ten other passengers sustained injuries, ranging from minor to severe, and were transported to various hospitals.

The adult female driver of the Mercedes-Benz G63 and the adult female and two minor passengers of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class escaped unharmed. A case of culpable homicide will be formally registered for further investigation by the Midrand SAPS station.