GROBLERSDAL (South Africa), Dec 31: Forty-eight members of a South African family were killed and 33 were seriously injured in a truck accident here, pushing the death toll on the country’s roads to 717 since the start of December, officials said on Monday.

Forty-seven members of the Chego family were killed instantly when a truck they were travelling in overturned at Roossenekal, about 300 kms northeast of Johannesburg on Sunday night, police spokesman Captain Malculm Mokomene said.

“During the day, we received a report that another victim has died in hospital, which pushes the death toll to 48,” Mokomene said.

He said about 120 people were on their way to attend an annual family gathering on a nearby farm when the accident happened.

Mokomene said the truck was travelling down a steep and narrow road when the driver lost control around 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Sunday.

“According to a person sitting in the front, the driver was struggling with the gears, and we assume that might have been the cause of the accident,” he said.

The vehicle rolled twice down an embankment. Four children were among the dead. Police were investigating culpable homicide charges against the driver, Mokomene said.—AFP