Free State crash leaves 15 injured

One person was killed, and 15 seriously injured, when their minibus taxi was hit by a bus near Kroonstad on Monday, northern Free State police reported.

Inspector Stephen Thakeng said the bus, which was from Oodensdaalrus, crashed into the taxi at a T-junction on the Welkom/Kroonstad road at about 6am.

The taxi, travelling from Welkom to Johannesburg, was moving across the intersection when the bus collided with it side-on, apparently after the heavy duty vehicle's brakes failed.

Thakeng said the dead passenger's name is Lawrence Sithole, 46. He was from Thabeng township in Welkom. The injured passengers were taken to Bongani hospital.

The driver of the bus, which was carrying one passenger at the time of the collision, was arrested and police were investigating a case of culpable homicide against him. - Sapa