South Africa: Ten people were killed by a speeding van as they carved up a road-killed hippopotamus in north South Africa at the weekend, police said on Monday.

The animal had been knocked down and killed by a truck late on Saturday in the northern Limpopo province and local villagers went to help themselves to the free meat.

Ten people died in northern Limpopo after being hit by a van on a road as they carved up a hippopotamus that had earlier been killed by a truck. Credit:Justin McManus

"There was a hippopotamus that was hit by a truck earlier and the community ... went out obviously to cut it up for meat," police spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said. "Then a van ploughed into those people and eight died on the scene," he said.

Two others later succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Police said seven other people, including the driver of the van, were wounded and taken to hospital.

AFP