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Six killed in Flagstaff truck crash as police investigate
Initial reports on 31 October 2026 say passengers were travelling to a traditional ceremony. Several injured people were taken to Holy Cross Provincial Hospital.
Six people have died after a truck carrying passengers overturned in the Flagstaff area of the Eastern Cape on Saturday, 31 October 2026, according to eNCA’s afternoon report. Police are investigating the cause.
The broadcaster reported that two men and four women were killed and that several other passengers were taken to Holy Cross Provincial Hospital. A precise number of injured people and their medical conditions were not confirmed in the published accounts.
Passengers travelling to a ceremony
Komani News reported at 13:56 that the crash happened at approximately 10:15 at Mcetheni Location. It attributed the initial account to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport and identified the vehicle as an Isuzu truck.
About 30 people were reportedly on board, travelling from Mswakazi in the Port St Johns area to attend a traditional ceremony. That passenger figure remains an estimate in the initial reporting.
Cause remains under investigation
The early accounts describe the truck overturning on a gravel road after the driver reportedly lost control. The reason for that reported loss of control has not been established.
MEC’s appeal to motorists
According to Komani News, Eastern Cape Transport MEC Xolile Nqatha expressed condolences to the affected families. He said two other crashes, near Aberdeen and Komani, had each claimed six lives the previous weekend. He urged drivers transporting passengers to adapt to road conditions.
eNCA reported Nqatha’s appeal for motorists to exercise caution and ensure vehicles are roadworthy. The initial details remain subject to the police investigation and further information about the injured.