At approximately 18:00 yesterday evening, KwaZulu Private Ambulance Service responded to reports of a severe motor vehicle collision on the R34 Natal Spa Road, heading out of Vryheid towards Paulpietersburg.
Upon arrival at the scene, the medical team discovered that a 1-ton bakkie and a minibus taxi had collided head-on. The impact left the driver of the bakkie severely trapped inside the crushed wreckage.
Rescue technicians spent 40 minutes using specialized hydraulic rescue equipment to cut the patient free from the vehicle.
Advanced Paramedics worked alongside the rescue team to stabilize the victim during the extrication process.
The trapped patient suffered serious injuries, including suspected internal injuries and multiple broken bones. A second occupant from the bakkie sustained minor injuries. Both patients were treated at the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital for further medical care. No occupants in the taxi reported major injuries requiring emergency transfer.
Traffic flow along the R34 was temporarily impacted while emergency services cleared the wreckage and rescue operations were completed. The exact cause of the collision remains unknown at this stage. Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) were on scene and have initiated a formal investigation into the crash.
Entrapment after a severe motor vehicle collision on the R34 Natal Spa Roadhttps://t.co/eHge4OqubN#ArriveAlive #Entrapment @kznpvt pic.twitter.com/9Tnw8HE4oQ
– Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) July 21, 2026
