KwaZulu-Natal Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Willies Mchunu has confirmed that 6 people have died from suspected dehydration after taking part in a traffic department recruitment fitness test.
The public broadcaster reports that another person apparently committed suicide in frustration after the test.
Mchunu could not be reached for comment on how the 6 people died.
However, in a statement on Saturday he said he would investigate the incident whereby "scores" of people who were trying to get a job at the road traffic inspectorate, collapsed during a fitness test.
This was a 4km run.
More than 34 000 applicants turned up at Pietermaritzburg's Harry Gwala stadium last week, for the 90 trainee posts which were advertised.
