Two employees from Cape Town’s safety and security department have died after colliding head-on with one another in Mfuleni, Cape Town on Christmas Day, the department said on Saturday.

Bulalekile Ganta and Zindiswa Canca had just concluded their shifts and were on their way home when the crash occurred just before 19:00 on Old Faure Road, in Mfuleni, department director Richard Bosman said.

“[Ganta], a staff member of law enforcement was driving a city vehicle and [Canca] a call taker at our 107 centre was driving her private vehicle when they collided.

“Both died on the scene and had to be cut out of their vehicles by fire and rescue teams from Mfuleni Fire Station,” he said.

Staff members in both departments had been receiving trauma counselling since Friday night, Bosman said. Chaplains were also made available.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said Ganta, who was in his 50s, had worked in the council for more than 30 years and was close to retiring.

Canca, who was 33-years-old, had been working for the council for a year.

Smith would visit both families on Sunday. A memorial service would be arranged in the coming week, he said. News24