Five people died on Saturday in a fatal multi-vehicle collision on the N10.
The Eastern Cape Department of Transport reportedly confirmed the crash and said emergency services are still working at the remote scene.
According to Arrive Alive, the collision involved two trucks and a bakkie and occurred earlier today on a remote stretch of the N10 between Cookhouse and Gqeberha.
Remote location hampers information flow
The road remains closed to traffic as authorities work to manage the scene.
“Emergency services are still on the scene and the situation remains fluid,” said Arrive Alive.
The organisation acknowledged that the remoteness of the area and poor cellphone network coverage are contributing to delays in the flow of information from the crash site.
“We are working closely with law enforcement, EMS, and other stakeholders to gather verified details as quickly as possible, but further updates will be shared as soon as clearer information becomes available,” the agency added.
Five killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the N10 between Cookhouse and Gqeberha https://t.co/jQWSNlLuVr #ArriveAlive@EcTransport @TruckAndFreight pic.twitter.com/wp4ogXRuPN
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) November 30, 2025
Campaign launch amid mounting death toll
The incident coincides with Transport Minister Barbara Creecy’s launch of the 2025/26 festive season road safety campaign in Kroonstad, Free State, on Saturday.
During the launch, Creecy revealed that while South Africa has reduced its road death toll by 700 people this year, over 9,400 fatalities have still been recorded.
ALSO READ: Over 9 400 road fatalities recorded this year despite deaths dropping by 700
“Human error, whether by pedestrians or drivers, is responsible for nine out of ten accidents,” Creecy stated, emphasising that Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Limpopo collectively account for seven out of ten accidents.
The campaign, themed “It Starts with Me,” comes as the Free State mourns recent tragic accidents. Premier Makoena Letsoho-Mathai revealed that the province buried 11 people yesterday from a crash that occurred on November 15 on the N8 between Blue Fountain and Butsabelo.
“Most of these people were en route to Blue Fountain as we understood that all of them, those who perished, worked in Blue Fountain,” the premier said, adding that survivors face life-changing injuries, with many requiring leg amputations.
Enhanced enforcement for high-risk areas
The minister announced that 800 National Traffic Police officers will be deployed to high-risk provinces, including the Eastern Cape.
Critical routes identified for priority attention include the N1, N2, N3, N4, N17, and secondary roads such as the R61 in the Eastern Cape.
At a roadblock in Kroonstad on Saturday morning, Creecy commended motorists for responsible behaviour.
“I’m pleased to say that when we arrived here this morning, and we received a report on this roadblock that you see in operation behind us, there were several drivers who had been tested for alcohol use, and none of them tested positive. That’s the way we need to behave when we get behind the wheel of a car,” she said.
READ NEXT: R1.7bn to be spent on upgrading and building roads in Limpopo
About the Author
