Five Die in N4 Easter Traffic Crash
The start of the long Easter weekend began with devastating news as five people died in a head-on collision involving a bakkie and an SUV on the N4 toll road between Belfast and Machadodorp in Mpumalang, reports IOL. The provincial Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson, Moeti Mmusi, said that three others were seriously injured. Mmusi said inclement weather, including rain and poor visibility, may have caused the accident. He advised motorists to use alternative routes as the road remained closed, though the duration of the closure was uncertain. Earlier reports had warned of increased traffic on major South African routes ahead of the Easter weekend, a period historically known for high road accident rates due to heavy traffic volumes. Motorists were urged to remain cautious, particularly on busy routes such as the N3, N1, and N4.
Lion Captured in Bushbuckridge, Search Continues for Others
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The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) dispatched a team to locate and capture lions reported to be roaming around the Malamule area in Bushbuckridge after receiving complaints from the community , reports SABC News. MTPA spokesperson Simphiwe Shungube said that the team had successfully captured one lion, which was placed under observation while authorities decided on its relocation. The community reported sightings of four lions, but only tracks for two had been found so far. The search continued with the assistance of drones and a helicopter from Kruger National Park.
Legal Action Looms for Riverlands Flood Victims After Dam Collapse
Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell said that plans to bring a class action on behalf of Riverlands disaster victims were at an advanced stage, reports EWN. Over 200 people were affected when devastating floods struck the small farming community outside Cape Town in August 2024, following the collapse of four dam walls on a farm owned by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. A preliminary report by Majodina blamed the property owners and suggested the department had failed to verify the proper registration of the dams when it assumed ownership. Bredell said that the municipality was progressing under the Inter-governmental Relations Framework Act to pursue legal action against the national department and had assured him that measures were in place to prevent a repeat of the disaster, with the dams now left open to allow a continuous water flow.
