Oos-Rand Akademie learner (13) killed in horror accident

OOS-RAND Akademie will plant a tree in memory of Yoné Nienaber (13), who died in a three-vehicle horror accident on July 15.

She was travelling home with her grandmother, Annatjie (61) and grandfather, André (63) Nienaber from a week-long holiday at La Cote D’Azur in Margate when the accident happened on the N2, close to Hibberdene, at about 6.30am.

Earlier this year another Oos-Rand Akademie learner was seriously injured in an accident on Atlas Road.

Yoné was declared dead on the scene and Annatjie died in the Netcare Margate Hospital hours later. André, who was the driver, sustained minor injuries.

“We were one of three vehicles involved in the collision. One of the cars was flung into the air and landed on top of our car,” said André.

According to Search SA, the police are still investigating the exact cause of the crash.

Paramedics from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health’s Emergency Medical Service were part of the emergency team that attended to the passengers’ injuries on the scene. They used the Jaws of Life to free patients from the vehicles, including Yoné and Annatjie.

According to Express’ sister newspaper, South Coast Herald, the driver of one of the other vehicles, Cebo Nkosingiphile Nzama (26), who was travelling to the Eastern Cape, also died on the scene.

Police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Zandra Wiid, said it appeared that a blue sedan, which was travelling south, first collided with the right rear of a grey sedan on the southbound lane and then went over the median into the northbound lane, where it crashed into a silver sedan which was travelling north.

The third driver was treated on-scene before he was taken to hospital.

“It is very sad to lose one of our learners, especially this young,” said Lindi Jordaan, a teacher at Oos-Rand Akademie.

The tree, in memory of Yoné, will be planted on the school’s playground.

Her mother requested that instead of buying flowers, people should donate the money to Kempton Park SPCA.