Khutsong man dies after bakkie falls into unmarked cavity on Wedela road
Family blames lack of warning signs after municipality reopens the dangerous road.
A tragic accident claimed the life of Khutsong resident Anele Mnqayi on Friday, July 11, after the bakkie he was travelling in with his cousin, Mpumemelo Gaba, plunged into an unmarked culvert on the recently tarred Wedela road near the cemetery.
The road had previously been closed off due to a collapsed bridge but was recently reopened after resurfacing by a Merafong City Local Municipality contractor. All warning signs had been removed, and a new 80 km/h speed limit sign was installed—despite the dangerous, unrepaired section still being in place.
“I knew the road was previously closed, but when we drove past it on Friday night, I saw that it was open and looked new,” said Gaba. “I would not have used it if I knew there were problems. We do not live in the area, so I did not know that the bridge was still unrepaired.”
Gaba only realised something was wrong when he saw a heap of gravel at the end of the tarred road—too late to stop. He tried to swerve, but the bakkie crashed into the deep culvert. While Gaba was pulled out by passing motorists, Mnqayi, who was in his 50s, remained trapped inside. Firefighters had to cut off the vehicle’s roof, but Mnqayi had already died.
When the Herald visited the scene around 12:30 the next afternoon, another municipal contractor was only then installing warning signs. Workers confirmed they had only been contacted after the fatal accident.
Opposition councillor Welile Fihla, who accompanied a distraught Gaba back to the site, said:
“By today the Mayor had not even bothered to apologise to the family of the man who passed away because of the municipality’s negligence.”
Mnqayi, who leaves behind four children, will be buried in Khutsong on Saturday.
As of the Herald’s visit, there were still no warning signs at the entrance to the dangerous road from the N12–Blyvoor side.
Here are some links to articles previously published about the open culvert, calling on the municipality to fix the bridge:
