There’s been an incident on the N1 in which a group of people allegedly slaughtered cattle.

JOHANNESBURG - There's been shock and outrage this evening after an incident in which a group of people allegedly slaughtered cattle on Gauteng's N1 highway.

The National Council of SPCA says 100 head of cattle were being transported from Bloemfontein to Bapsfontein when the trailer they were in overturned.

The council says the double-decker trailer tipped over and a large group of people then rushed to the scene.

NSPCA officials say people carrying buckets and knives chased cattle that managed to free themselves from the wreckage.

Some of the animals were unable to escape due to broken limbs and were allegedly stolen and slaughtered by the crowd.

The NSPCA's Marcelle Meredith said, "We managed to get the remainder of the cattle to the farm. It's sad that as opposed to assisting us in this accident that people would do this to the cattle."

32 COWS SLAUGHTERED

Officials have now confirmed that around 32 animals were slaughtered on the N1 highway.

The driver of the truck claims bystanders threw rocks and other objects at the vehicle shortly before it tipped over.

Seventeen of the animals had to be put down after sustaining severe bone fractures and other injuries.

Outraged animal rights activists have described the group of people as "vultures stealing meat".

Meredith said, "They put the drivers' life at risk and all they wanted was the meat from that truck."