CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) \u2014 Two minibus taxis collided head-on, and an SUV crashed into them on one of South Africa’s main highways, killing at least 21 people and leaving four others seriously injured, authorities said Monday. <\/p>\n
The crash on Sunday night in the Western Cape Province took place between the small towns of Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka, around 380 kilometers (235 miles) east of Cape Town, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, or RTMC, the national traffic agency.<\/p>\n
The collision involved two Toyota minibus taxis and a Suzuki sport utility vehicle, police spokesperson Warrant Officer Christopher Spies said.<\/p>\n
Eighteen people were declared dead at the scene. Three others were declared dead after being taken to a hospital, bringing the toll to 21, Spies said. Four other people were seriously injured, the Western Cape Mobility Department. <\/p>\n
The death toll \u201cmay change as emergency services and authorities in the Western Cape continue their assessment of the scene,\u201d RTMC said.<\/p>\n
The N1 highway was closed at the crash scene. Police opened a culpable homicide case, and the cause of the collision remained under investigation, Spies said. RTMC also sent investigators to the scene.<\/p>\n
The Western Cape collision was one of two major crashes that killed at least 29 people across South Africa over the weekend, the government said in a statement. Eight people were killed in a separate crash near Ermelo in Mpumalanga province early Sunday.<\/p>\n
Minibus taxis are the main mode of public transport for millions of people in South Africa and are often involved in fatal collisions<\/a>. Two separate crashes involving minibus taxis in January left at least 25 people dead, including 14 children.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n