Five people, including a five-month-old baby died in an accident in Temba, police said on Saturday.

Police spokeswoman Inspector Sarah Lesabane said four people were also injured in the accident which happened on Friday afternoon.

"A car overtook another vehicle on the Themba freeway and drove head on into a bus at about 5.30pm," she said.

Five passengers in the vehicle died at the scene and the driver of the car was taken to hospital. Three people in the bus were injured and were taken to hospital, Lesabane said.

Police are investigating a case of culpable homicide.