Six people were killed when the taxi they were travelling in collided with a car on the N12 near Benoni in the early hours of Monday, Ekurhuleni metro police said.

Inspector Mveli Nhlapo said the taxi lost control after a tyre burst, it turned into the oncoming traffic and collided with an Audi before it overturned and kill six people — three women, a man and two children aged eight months and ten years.

"They all died at the scene," he said.

Three critically injured people were airlifted to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (formerly Johannesburg Hospital), other injured people were admitted at various hospitals in Ekurhuleni, he said.

"The driver of the taxi was admitted at the Tambo Memorial Hospital with serious injuries."

The taxi with eight people including the driver was travelling from Katlehong to Mozambique at the time of the accident. "The accident occurred after midnight at the Atlas Bridge. Five vehicles were involved," he said.

He explained that after the taxi and the Audi had collided, a bakkie avoiding the accident, collided with another car and a truck rammed into the rear of the overturned taxi in an effort to avoid crashing into the other cars.

There were two people in the truck, four in the bakkie and the other two cars had only drivers in them.

A case of culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving was opened at the Benoni police station, Nhlapo said.

Sapa