At least 21 people were killed when a bus and a truck collided in South Africa's Western Capetoday, police said, the latest disaster to strike some ofthe most dangerous roads in the world. South Africa logs some 500,000 road crashes each year, inwhich about 10,000 people are killed.
In a separate incident today, a head-on collisionbetween cars in Cape Town killed four people.
Trucks, minibuses and taxis are involved in many of thesmashes, which experts attribute to everything from speeding,unroadworthy vehicles and drunk driving to the prevalence ofHIV/AIDS among truck drivers.
Some say the virus - estimated to infect up to five millionof South Africa's 45 million people - plays a role by killingmore experienced drivers and sapping the strength of those withthe illness who are still fit enough to work.
Today's incidents followed a rash of fatal crashes thismonth which spurred calls for stricter road safety measures.
The bus was carrying 33 passengers from the Eastern Capeprovince to Cape Town, when it and the truck collided shortlyafter 1 a.m. today, about 350 km (220 miles) northeast ofCape Town. Twenty passengers were killed at the scene and onedied later in hospital.
A further 12 people, including the drivers of the bus andtruck and a two-year-old child, were taken to hospitals.