Drag racing may have caused taxi crash

2012-11-19 10:35

Cape Town - Police are investigating the role of two drag racers in the deaths of four people on a highway, according to a report on Monday.

The Cape Argus reported that a minibus taxi was driving on the M5 on Sunday morning when it overturned and landed in a ditch.

A man and three women, aged between 50 and 72, were killed.

Provincial police spokesperson Andre Traut said a culpable homicide case was opened.

"We have reason to believe that it was caused by two motor vehicles which were driving at excessively high speeds, and were possibly dicing at the time. No one has been arrested as yet."

Witness Nurjehan Perin told the newspaper she and her boyfriend Charl Krieger saw a silver Mercedes-Benz and a black and silver Volvo on that stretch of road at the time.

The cars were apparently speeding and moving from lane to lane. She said the minibus taxi was not speeding.

Krieger, a fireman, called emergency services after the taxi flipped and other motorists also stopped to help.

- SAPA