Scattered bodies, police sirens and a high visibility of law enforcement agencies. This was the scene on the M1 south at the Athol Oaklands off ramp in Johannesburg.
A police officer and four prisoners died on the busy M1 highway on Monday afternoon when a car crashed into a Saps vehicle travelling at high speed.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed that they were all declared dead on the scene. Several others, including two schoolchildren, were seriously injured.
Early reports indicate that the tragedy happened during a road rage incident involving a Ford Ranger driver and another driver in a Mini Cooper, both driving in a northern direction. The Ford Ranger driver lost control of his vehicle which crossed over the highway and slammed head on into a police vehicle travelling south.
The passengers in the Ford Ranger - two adults and two schoolchildren - were all seriously injured and were rushed to hospital.
The police van, en route from Alexandra Magistrate's Court to Sun City Correctional Service, was being driven by a male officer and carried five prisoners - two female and three males.
The officer and four of the prisoners were killed in the crash. The only surving female prisoner was badly injured and taken to hospital.
When the Scrolla.Africa team arrived at the scene, the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) were still cutting the wreckage of what remained of the double-cab police van while some members of the South African Police Service were directing traffic heading north.
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The southern side of the highway was completely closed.
Over an hour after the fatal crash occurred, EMS officials managed to pull out two bodies that were still stuck in the police van.
Both bodies, one in the driver's seat and the other a woman sitting behind the driver's seat, were taken out.
While EMS were busy retrieving the bodies from the police van, some officers who watched the disturbing scenes unfold couldn't hold back their tears.
One female officer cried out as her distraught colleagues held her.
Spectators came out of their homes to have a glimpse of what was happening on the usually busy Johannesburg freeway.
Passing motorists heading north were not given a chance to take photos although some tried pulling out their phones.
By 8:30 pm officials had finished gathering information at the scene and a mop up operation started.
The highway was back to its usual traffic flow by 9 pm.
