Johannesburg, Sep 27 As many as 11 people were killed and eight others critically injured in a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a truck in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province, local media reported on Sunday.

The accident occurred at around 4 am local time (0200 GMT) on the N2 highway in the Inkosi Mtubatuba Municipality, Independent Online reported, citing the provincial Department of Transport and Human Settlements.

The northbound minibus taxi collided with the southbound truck and caught fire. Eight people sustained critical injuries, including burns, and were transported to hospital, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation would work with police to establish the exact cause of the accident, the report said.

Minibus taxis are one of South Africa’s main modes of public transport, but they are frequently involved in deadly crashes.

On September 13, at least 21 people were killed in a road accident in South Africa’s Western Cape province, authorities said.

The accident occurred at around 11:30 pm local time (2130 GMT) on September 13 on the N1 highway between Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka in the province, involving two minibus taxis and a station wagon.

Local police confirmed the crash to Xinhua, saying emergency personnel were summoned to the scene after three vehicles collided.

“Upon arrival, police found two Toyota minibus taxis that collided head-on and a Suzuki station wagon which collided with one of the taxis,” police spokesperson Christopher Spies told Xinhua.

“A total of 18 occupants were declared deceased. Several other occupants were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment,” he said, adding that local police have opened a culpable homicide case and are investigating the cause of the crash.

The Western Cape Mobility Department later confirmed in a statement that the death toll had risen to 21.