Two railway police officers were killed when the car they were travelling in crashed into a Golden Arrow bus.
Constable Yonwaba Matibe, 26, and his 28-year-old colleague and friend Constable Khanyiso Mngcete, were involved in the three-vehicle incident in Montrose Park at 5:40am on Monday.
The two off-duty SAPS officers, who were stationed at Cape Town station, had to be extricated from their crushed VW Polo, which was wedged under the rear of the empty bus.
According to police, the officers in their black VW Polo Vivo had tried to overtake a silver Tata.
Police spokesperson, Captain FC Van Wyk, says police are investigating two cases of culpable homicide.
“On Monday at 5.40am, Lentegeur police attended a scene of an accident at the corner of Highlands Drive and Swartklip Road, Montrose Park,” he explains.
Khanyiso Mngcete, 28, was based at Cape Town station
“Three vehicles were involved, namely a silver Tata, a black VW Polo Vivo and a Golden Arrow bus. According to reports, the black Polo Vivo wanted to overtake the silver Tata that was indicating to turn.
"The Polo clipped the rear of the car and spun out of control into the pathway of an oncoming Golden Arrow bus that was turning into Swartklip Drive. The two occupants of the Polo passed away on the scene. The deceased were aged 26 and 28. They were off-duty police members who were affiliated to the railway police. No other persons were injured during the incident.”
Constable Yonwaba Matibe, 26, was not on duty
Emergency services had to cut the bodies out of their car after peeling the roof back.
GABS spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer says they are investigating the incident.
“At this stage, the cause of the incident is unknown but our driver has been suspended as per company policy pending an investigation,” she said on Monday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Francois Jordaan, of Lentegeur Serious and Violent Crimes Unit at 082 411 2382.