In what the spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Transport Unathi Binqose described as the worst accident recorded in the province in many years, a 24-year-old man driving a BMW allegedly crashed into a group of pedestrians walking on the side of the road on Friday night. Five pedestrians were killed on impact and a sixth died on the way to hospital.

The driver of a vehicle that is said to have ploughed into a group of men, killing six of them, was arrested by Eastern Cape police this morning.

The 24-year-old man will be charged with culpable homicide.

Eastern Cape Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose described the accident as the worst he has seen in the province in many years and the worst accident involving pedestrians.

"Six pedestrians have lost their lives after being knocked down by a single vehicle on the R61 between Mbizana and Port Edward," he said. The accident occurred close to Redoubt.

Binqose said it happened at around 11 pm on Friday night.

"A BMW sedan was travelling from Mbizana to Port Edward with one male occupant," he said. "Six men were walking along the road. The drive knocked all six of them. Five of them died on the scene. The sixth one died on the way to hospital," he said.

Binqose said that the stretch of the R61 is unfortunately prone to vehicle accidents involving pedestrians and has called on both motorists and people walking on the side of the road to be...