Cape Town, 14 September (H.S.): At least 21 people were killed in a road accident in South Africa’s Western Cape province. The accident occurred on the highway between Leeu-Gamka and Prince Albert, where two minibus taxis and an SUV collided.

According to Bangladesh’s state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and local media reports, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said the accident, which occurred on Sunday night, left 21 people with fatal injuries. Local media reported that the collision took place at around 9:30 p.m., following which the highway had to be closed.

Police have registered a culpable homicide case in connection with the accident and launched an investigation. Several other injured people have been admitted to hospitals for treatment.

The accident occurred approximately 380 kilometres northeast of Cape Town. Despite having a well-developed road network, South Africa continues to record a high number of fatalities in road accidents. Speeding, reckless driving, poorly maintained vehicles and failure to wear seat belts are among the major causes of road crashes.

According to RTMC data, 11,485 people were killed in road accidents in South Africa in 2025. The figure represented a decline of less than five per cent compared with 2024. Pedestrians accounted for the largest share of those killed.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar