South Africa road smash kills 13

Johannesburg: Thirteen people died Tuesday in a head on collision between a minibus taxi and a truck on a major road in South Africa s northern provin...

Johannesburg: Thirteen people died Tuesday in a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a truck on a major road in South Africa's northern province of Limpopo, transport authorities said.

The accident happened around dawn on the highway outside Polokwane, 320 kilometres (200 miles) from the country's economic hub Johannesburg.

"Thirteen people have died. There was no survivor," Limpopo media liaison officer Vongani Chauke told AFP, adding that the taxi had 11 people on board, nine of them female.

The cause of the accident is under investigation but a preliminary examination showed the driver of the truck -- travelling in thick mist -- lost control of his vehicle before colliding with the taxi.

"The accident happened due to reckless driving," Chauke said.