Five people were killed when a taxi crashed into a stationery truck on the N1 in Kraaifontein on Monday, Western Cape paramedics said.
ER24 spokeswoman Vanessa Jackson said four men and a women died at the scene. Three people were injured.
"The occupants had been ejected and were found strewn across the road," Jackson said in a statement.
"A truck was stationary at the side of he highway in the direction of Cape Town, and a taxi transporting seven people crashed into it."
The accident happened around 4am near the Brighton road off-ramp.
"The left side of the taxi was ripped from the body and the forced had caused the taxi to spin around and came to a standstill facing the opposite direction."
Two taxi passengers, a man and a woman, and the truck driver were taken to hospital.
In the other accident, three people died and at least 16 were injured in a taxi crash in Pretoria, Gauteng paramedics said on Monday.
The accident happened on the R80 between the N4 highway and the Brits road exit around 4pm on Sunday, said ER24 spokeswoman Vanessa Jackson.
"A passenger that was in the taxi explained that there was a loud noise and the taxi suddenly started swaying from side to side before it overturned and rolled," said Jackson.
She said the taxi landed on its wheels, but some of the passengers were thrown out of the vehicle.
"Two men had already succumbed to their injuries before paramedics got to the scene."
She said paramedics were unable to resuscitate another woman and she later died on the scene.
It was not clear how many people had been in the taxi as many of the passengers had sustained minor injuries and were found walking around.
However, of the 16 injured people counted, two were children, aged six and 15.
"Sadly, it was the six-year-old little boy's mother who had not survived her injuries," said Jackson.
She said four people had suffered serious injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals.
"The remaining passengers required treatment for minor to moderate injuries and were placed in the various ambulances that had been at the scene for transportation to hospital." (Sapa)
