Deadly R71 Road Accident Leaves Five Dead in Limpopo, Police Probe Underway

PHALABORWA, LIMPOPO – A tragic road accident on Saturday, 10 May, has left five people dead after a vehicle veered off the R71 near the JCI Mine and burst into flames.

Eyewitnesses at the scene said the VW Polo lost control, plunged off a bridge, and caught fire—leaving passengers trapped inside as the vehicle was engulfed by flames. The intensity of the fire reduced the bodies to ashes, making immediate identification impossible.

Initial reports suggest that a suspected tyre burst may have caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Spokesperson for the Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety, Tshifhiwa Dali, confirmed the incident and said that some of the victims may have been hitchhikers, which could delay the formal identification process.

R71 Road Accident Reports

“Preliminary reports indicate that the driver lost control after what appeared to be a tyre burst. The vehicle then caught fire, which tragically led to multiple fatalities,” said Dali. “We await official findings from the police investigation to confirm the exact cause of the crash.”

In response to the devastating loss, MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Violet Mathye, extended her heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and urged drivers to exercise extra caution on the province’s roads.

“On behalf of the department and the people of Limpopo, I convey sincere condolences to the next of kin of those who perished. We had just come from a no-fatality weekend on the N1 highway—we can achieve this across all our roads if drivers remain vigilant,” said Mathye.

Authorities are continuing investigations while urging anyone with information about the passengers to come forward to assist in the identification process.

Source – Daily Sun