The death toll from the horrific road accident on the R101 Road between Mokopane and Mookgopong has tragically risen to nine.
The incident occurred on Thursday, August 14, 2025, and involved a collision between a police vehicle and a truck.
Initial reports confirmed that seven inmates were pronounced dead at the scene, but following the latest updates, two additional inmates who were receiving treatment in hospital have succumbed to their injuries, bringing the total fatalities to nine, which includes one police officer and eight inmates.
The officer, stationed at Naboomspruit Police Station, had collected 11 inmates from Mokopane Police Station for court appearances in Naboomspruit when the incident occurred.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, expressed her heartfelt sympathies to the families of the deceased. “Our thoughts are with the families affected by this terrible incident. We wish the remaining injured inmates a swift recovery,” she stated during a press conference.
Lieutenant General Hadebe assured the public that a thorough enquiry would be conducted to uncover the circumstances surrounding the crash that led to such heartbreaking fatalities.
“We are committed to ensuring that the facts are established and that we understand how this tragedy occurred,” she emphasised.
Local authorities are working alongside NGOs to provide assistance and emotional support to those grieving their lost loved ones.
The remaining injured inmates are still receiving medical treatment, and the police have not released further information regarding their conditions at this time.
IOL
