A bus and taxi collided on Friday outside the Hendrik Verwoed tunnel on the N1 between Louis Trichardt and Musina, said Limpopo's department of roads and transport.

The bus travelling from Musina to Louis Trichardt was trying to avoid another bus making a U-turn on the N1 when it crashed head on into a taxi, said department's spokesman Selby Makgotho.

Five passengers died at the scene and 13 people were critically injured.

Five people were rushed to Louis Trichardt memorial hospital, two patients were later transferred to Polokwane provincial hospital and seven were taken to Siloam hospital.

The department's MEC Justice Pitso visited the injured in hospital.

Sapa