The Easter holidays ended in tragedy, with the road death toll standing at 22 last night after thousands hit the road for the long weekend.
In one of the deadliest accidents in the Western Cape, eight people including two children lost their lives after the car in which they were travelling and a passenger bus collided head-on just outside Klawer on Saturday.
Authorities say the driver of the Opel Corsa overtook vehicles before colliding with the bus, sending the hatchback flying across the road in two pieces.
The bus came to a stop in bushes on the side of the road.
Western Cape Traffic Chief Kenny Africa confirmed the terrible accident.
He said: "Eight people died in a gruesome head-on collision outside Klawer on the N7. Apparently an Opel Corsa overtook vehicles in the face of oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a passenger bus. All eight occupants in the Opel Corsa died in the crash.”
The N7 at Klawer had to be closed for traffic.
On Friday in Elsies River, two motorcyclists were killed after colliding with a car on the N1.
Also on Friday, a truck driver was injured when his truck overturned on the N2 in Sir Lowry’s Pass near Gordon’s Bay.
Meanwhile, the City’s safety chief JP Smith took to the streets over the weekend, joining police and the provincial Traffic Department as they set up roadblocks all over the city.
Smith says 33 drunk drivers were arrested and 217 fines were issued for related traffic violations at roadblocks in Athlone, Gordon’s Bay and Muizenberg.