The death toll of a taxi accident in Pretoria East on Saturday morning rose to 12, paramedics said.

"The taxi was travelling along Molotto Road when the driver lost control of the vehicle. It plunged some 10 meters down an embankment, 12 died and three others sustained critical injuries," said Netcare 911 spokesman, Chris Botha.

Some passengers were flung out of the vehicle's back emergency exit as it tumbled down the embankment.

"The other passengers were trapped inside the mangled wreckage of the vehicle as it came to rest in a grassy area," Botha said.