Baby sole survivor of crash that kills seven

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Cape Town - A three-month-old baby was the only survivor of a head-on-collision in which seven people died – four burnt to death. The crash – one of many car accidents at the weekend, resulting in a death toll of 16 – occurred late on Saturday in Stellenbosch. Rescuers managed to get the baby out of the car before the two vehicles burst into flames. The baby girl was taken to Paarl Hospital for treatment and will be handed to social workers. Police spokesman Frederick van Wyk said it was not yet clear which of the baby’s relatives died in the crash and police would try to locate the baby’s parents.

“An autopsy will help us, but that is going to take some time. A culpable homicide case has been opened for investigation,” he said.

Provincial traffic spokesman Kenny Africa said the seven died when a truck and car crashed on the R304 between Stellenbosch and Koelenhof.

“We know that it was a head-on collision. We don’t know who was at fault yet and that forms part of the investigation. The driver of the truck survived but the other died on the scene,” said Africa.

EMS spokesman Darren Francis said the dead were two males, two females, two babies and a toddler.

“Two patients, the baby and a minor, were extracted from the car. Four other occupants of the two vehicles burned to death,” Francis said.

Forensic pathology spokesman Zolani Zenzile said a post-mortem would be done at the Stellenbosch mortuary on Monday.

In a separate incident, a 10-year-old boy died on Sunday after the driver of the bakkie he was in lost control and crashed into a car on the N1 near Paarl.

In other accidents on Friday, a minibus taxi collided with a kudu on Aberdeen Road (R61), killing one passenger.

Accidents on Saturday claimed the lives of eight:

* A motorist crashed into oncoming traffic, killing five people when he lost control of his vehicle on the R62 towards Barrydale.

* At Bottelary Road intersection in Stikland, a car and truck collided, killing a car occupant.

* A motorcyclist died when a SUV hit him on the N7 near Philadelphia.

* The driver of a light delivery vehicle died after a collision with a car on the Darling Road near Atlantis.

“It has been a dark weekend for our motorists,” Africa said.

Traffic officials also stopped 2 708 vehicles and arrested 19 motorists for drinking and driving. Fines totalling R158 300 were issued to 482 motoristsfor speeding. The highest speed was 172km/h in a 120km/h zone near Brackenfell.

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