At least 21 people were killed and four others seriously injured after two minibus taxis collided head-on before an SUV crashed into them on a major highway in South Africa, authorities said Monday.

The crash happened on Sunday night in the Western Cape province, between the towns of Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka, about 380 kilometers east of Cape Town, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

The collision involved two Toyota minibus taxis and a Suzuki sport utility vehicle, police spokesperson Warrant Officer Christopher Spies said.

Eighteen people were pronounced dead at the scene. Three others died after being taken to hospital, bringing the confirmed death toll to 21, Spies said.

Four additional people sustained serious injuries and were taken for medical treatment, according to the Western Cape Mobility Department.

The RTMC warned that the death toll could change as emergency responders and authorities continued assessing the crash site and gathering information about the incident.

The N1 highway was closed in the area following the collision. Police opened a culpable homicide investigation, while the precise cause of the crash remained under investigation.

The RTMC also dispatched investigators to examine the circumstances surrounding the collision.

The crash was one of two major road accidents that killed at least 29 people across South Africa over the weekend, according to a government statement. A separate crash near Ermelo in Mpumalanga province on Sunday morning claimed eight lives.

Minibus taxis are a major form of public transportation for millions of people in South Africa. However, vehicles of this type are frequently involved in serious and sometimes fatal road crashes.

Two separate minibus taxi crashes in January resulted in at least 25 deaths, including 14 children, highlighting the continuing risks faced by passengers using this form of transportation.

Authorities were continuing to investigate the Western Cape crash, including the circumstances that led to the head-on collision and the subsequent impact involving the SUV.

SOURCE: The Associated Press, September 14, 2026.