JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed in South Africa's Free State province when a bakkie had a head-on collision with an Intercape bus near Brandfort of the province, said South African police on Thursday.

    The accident happened 9 p.m. local time on Thursday when a third vehicle overtook the bakkie which was carrying nine passengers. The bakkie then lost control, said Captain Magda Muller.

    The driver of the bakkie, a man aged 47, and his passengers, three women and two children, died at the scene. Another woman and two girls were taken to Pelenomi Hospital in Bloemfontein with serious injuries.

    The driver of the bus, Grecory Henefore of Port Elizabeth, was also seriously injured. He was taken to MediClinic in Bloemfontein.

    The bakkie had been driving in the direction of Theunissen and the Intercape bus in the direction of Brandfort.