Preliminary report suggests mechanical failure caused deadly taxi crash in Nkandla - KZN Transport Dept

DURBAN - A mechanical failure has been cited as the cause of the taxi accident that claimed eight lives in Nkandla, northern KwaZulu-Natal on Monday. 

A minibus taxi carrying a group of relatives rolled down an embarkment after being knocked by another taxi.  

Five people died on the scene while three others later died in hospital. 

Others are said to be in critical condition.

Provincial Transport MEC Siboniso Duma visited the families on Wednesday.  

"At this point and time, the preliminaries are suggesting that there might be a process of a mechanical failure, but we wouldn’t want to be emphatic on the issue because the reality is that it took place close to where they were going."

Duma said that the focus now was on getting much-needed support for the families.

"But at this point in time, we want to focus on ensuring that they are being comforted, closely monitored and assisted in whatever way or manner they would want from us as government."