Ten people have been left dead and eight other seriously injured in a taxi accident in the Eastern Cape, the province's health department said on Saturday.

The minibus is believed to have driven off a cliff at the Tutor Ndamase Pass between Libode and Port St. Johns.

"According to eye witnesses, the taxi hit a car from behind, overturned and veered off the road," said Eastern Cape health spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo.

"I have never seen anything like this in my life, there are bodies scattered everywhere.

"The eight survivors have been rushed to hospital and a helicopter is arriving to retrieve the other bodies, because it is too difficult to get them by foot," he said.

According to Kupelo, this is the second accident on this stretch of road in a week.

"Members of the community rushed to help those who survived. They are traumatised because this is the second accident here in a week."

Spokesperson for the Eastern Cape department of Transport, Ncedo Kumbaca said that the department would investigate the cause of the accident.

It would then decide whether charges would be brought against the driver of the taxi, who is amongst the injured.

Sapa