Horror on R102 near Lotus Park: 11 dead including child in devastating crash
Fatal collision Durban
South Africa - Durban - 29 January 2026 - Bodies of the casualties of a Lotus Park accident on R102 Isipingo scattered around the accident scene after the taxi collided with a truck.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers
AT LEAST 11 people have been killed, including a child, and eight others critically injured when a fully-loaded taxi and truck collided on the R102 near Durban on Thursday morning.
Emergency services described a scene of 'chaos and carnage' as they worked to free trapped passengers. Wet road conditions are believed to have contributed to the tragic crash that has closed a major route south of the city.
The crash occurred just after 7:30am on the R102, also known as Wanda Cele Road, near Lotus Park south of Durban, close to the M35 off-ramp.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson, who was reporting from the scene described the crash as “horrific,” saying emergency services were met with “chaos and carnage” upon arrival.
“Just after 7:30 this morning, ALS Paramedics received numerous calls of urgent medical assistance needed on the R102 in the Isipingo area,” Jamieson said.
“Multiple ambulance services responded and found that a fully loaded taxi and a truck had collided before leaving the roadway, pinning the taxi against a tree.”
Jamieson confirmed that 11 people were declared dead at the scene, including one child. Approximately eight other victims were rushed to various hospitals with serious to critical injuries.
“At this stage, I can confirm that unfortunately one child had passed away. The taxi driver remains severely entrapped, and the eThekwini Fire Department is working tirelessly to extricate the patient. Once freed, he will be placed into an ambulance and transported urgently for further medical care.”
Several other passengers were also trapped in the wreckage. Firefighters worked to cut them free as paramedics treated the injured at the scene. The truck driver is understood to have survived the crash.
The road has been closed by RTI Metro Police to allow rescue operations and investigations to continue, with traffic heavily backed up in the area.
“I would advise motorists to avoid this area at all costs,” Jamieson said.
“It’s a devastating and ugly scene, with multiple emergency vehicles in attendance.”
The cause of the crash remains unknown at this stage.
Police and RTI officials are on scene and will be conducting a full investigation.
More updates are expected as emergency operations continue.
This is a developing story.