Cape Town - The police have registered a case of culpable homicide following an accident on Sunday involving a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi and a Golden Arrow bus.
Five people, three men and two women, aged between 25 and 40 were declared dead at the scene, at the corner of Symphony and Sonata Way in Belhar.
Ten fellow passengers, from the minibus taxi, were taken to nearby hospitals, according to the police.
The taxi was travelling from Delft to Bellville while the Golden Arrow bus was travelling towards the Stellenbosch Arterial.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “According to reports the white Quantum taxi came from Delft drove along Sonata way and the Golden Arrow bus was travelling on Symphony Way direction Stellenbosch arterial.
“The collision happened while the intersection investigation is ongoing.”
Santaco spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana said circumstances around the accidents are not yet clear but it is alleged that the driver of the taxi skipped a red traffic light before colliding with the Golden Arrow bus.
“I do not have much information yet but it is alleged that the driver of a taxi skipped robots before coming in contact with the bus.
“I don't have news about his condition but I know five people died at the scene.
“The taxi was travelling from Delft to Bellville.”
Mobility MEC Ricardo Mackenzie’s spokesperson, Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka, said: “I would like to express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the families of the five people who sadly lost their lives when a minibus taxi (collided) with a bus.
“We appeal to all enforcement authorities to do a thorough investigation of this tragic crash.
“The provincial regulatory entity of the Mobility Department will investigate the matter to determine whether the minibus taxi has an active operating licence linked to it.”