A violent collision between a bus and a truck left 15 dead and 37 injured on Friday in South Africa, near the capital Pretoria, the city's emergency services told AFP.

“The death toll is currently 15 dead. Thirty-seven people were injured, some are in critical condition,” said city rescue spokesman Thabo Charles Mabaso.

The accident occurred early in the morning, the emergency services were called at 05:05.

“Emergency services found a bus and a truck on the scene that had collided head-on, with many victims lying here and there, others still trapped inside the two vehicles,” the emergency services said. in a press release.

Fifteen people, eight women and seven men, died on the spot, 37 were taken to hospital. Seven are in critical condition, according to emergency services.

The road was still closed to traffic in the middle of the morning, “in order to allow the recovery of the bodies, the bus and the truck”, specified the relief.

An investigation has been opened to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident.

Although it has one of the most developed road networks on the continent, South Africa is one of the worst students in terms of road safety.

Nearly 1,500 people were killed on the roads during the last Christmas holidays, which correspond to the summer holidays in this southern African country, according to the government.