Twelve people, including three children, were killed and ten others were injured after a taxi overturned on the N1 highway near Touws River in the Hex River Valley on Saturday.

Western Cape Traffic Chief Kenny Africa said the incident occured shortly after 03h00 when the driver lost control of the vehicle.

“In this crash 12 people lost their lives: six male occupants, three female occupants, two boys and one girl died in this gruesome taxi crash just outside Touws River,” said Africa.

The vehicle was travelling towards Cape Town at the time of the crash.