Pietermaritzburg – Six people were killed in a bus accident near Pongola, northern KwaZulu-Natal, on Tuesday, the province’s community safety department said.

One of the bus’s tyres burst on the N2 around 11:00, causing it to crash into a wall, MEC Willies Mchunu’s office said in a statement.

Five people died on the scene. A sixth passenger died later. Mchunu said the accident bought the number of deaths on the province’s roads to 16 in one week.

“The government of KwaZulu-Natal sends its heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this frightening accident. Such accidents are an indication that more needs to be done to educate road users about the importance of road safety,” Mchunu said.

– SAPA