UK support after 8 die in smash

2004-01-01 14:16

Harrismith - Family members are coming out from Britain to be with the five surviving British tourists after eight died in a minibus smash near Bergville in northern KwaZulu-Natal on New Year's Eve.

Meanwhile, Britain's acting high commissioner to South Africa, Andy Sparkes, travelled to Ladysmith on Thursday after eight British tourists were killed in a minibus accident on the road between Harrismith and Bergville.

High commission spokesperson Nick Shepperd said he, Sparkes and a consular official had gone to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands town to lend support to the five survivors of the New Year's Eve crash.

Captain Joshua Gwala said it was believed a pedestrian, identified as Pelepele Miya, in his 20s, triggered the accident when he stepped into the road in front of the minibus.

Two died in hospital

The driver swerved, but then apparently lost control of the vehicle, which overturned.

Miya was killed instantly, as were six of the tourists - three men and three women. Another two tourists died later of their injuries.

The tourists, some couples, some individuals, were travelling together as a group and came from different parts of Britain.

Shepperd said they were on their way to the Royal Natal National Park, in the Drakensberg, to camp.

He said individual arrangements would be made for the survivors to return home, and that some had relatives travelling out to South Africa to join them.

Police have withheld the identity of the dead until their next-of-kin can be informed.

- SAPA