WATCH-Taxi rolls due to break failure in Waterloo - KZN

Waterloo, KwaZulu-Natal – October 24, 2025 – Three passengers escaped with minor injuries following the overturning of an unroadworthy taxi on a road in Phase 6, Waterloo, on Thursday afternoon.

Emergency response teams from Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) mobilized swiftly after fielding several distress calls regarding the single-vehicle accident. The incident unfolded on an unspecified road within the Phase 6 area, a residential neighborhood in the Waterloo community of KwaZulu-Natal.

Upon reaching the scene, RUSA officers encountered a white Toyota Hiace minibus taxi positioned on its side, perilously close to a local crèche—just under a meter away from the facility's boundary. The proximity to the child care center heightened concerns among first responders, though no children or staff from the crèche were reported affected.

The three individuals who sustained injuries were all passengers aboard the vehicle at the time of the mishap. Medical assessments conducted on-site confirmed that their injuries were minor in nature, requiring only basic treatment and observation. No fatalities or severe trauma were recorded in connection with the event.

The taxi driver provided a detailed account to the attending officers, attributing the loss of control to mechanical failures within the vehicle. Specifically, he reported that the brakes malfunctioned during operation, compounded by a sudden locking of the steering mechanism. These simultaneous issues, he stated, prevented him from maintaining direction, leading directly to the vehicle's veer off the road and subsequent rollover.

Authorities have preliminarily classified the taxi as unroadworthy based on the driver's description of the defects, though a full mechanical inspection remains pending. The Toyota Hiace, a common model for public transport in the region, was transporting passengers along the route when the failure occurred.

RUSA's rapid deployment underscores the organization's role in supporting local emergency services in eThekwini Municipality's outer areas, where such incidents can strain limited resources. The unit's officers secured the site, coordinated with paramedics for the injured passengers, and facilitated the uprighting of the vehicle to restore partial traffic flow.

Investigators from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport are expected to examine the wreckage for evidence of non-compliance with roadworthiness standards, including brake and steering system integrity. Taxi operators in the Waterloo area have faced increased scrutiny in recent months over vehicle maintenance amid a rise in similar mechanical-related accidents.

As of Friday morning, all three injured passengers had been released from on-scene care and transported to nearby medical facilities for follow-up checks. The unnamed road in Phase 6 experienced temporary disruptions, but normal access has since been restored.

This incident serves as a reminder of ongoing safety challenges in South Africa's minibus taxi sector, where vehicle condition plays a critical role in passenger protection. Further updates will follow as the official probe progresses.