MALALANE – One person died and 16 were hospitalised last Thursday morning when a one-ton bakkie lost control and overturned on the Jeppe’s Reef Road.
All the victims were transported to Tonga and Shongwe hospitals and no more deaths were reported.
According to police, they suspect the driver had lost control of the vehicle.
It was transporting cellular phone network workers from Matsulu to Naas.
Paramedics and an ambulance from as far as Nelspruit had to be called in to assist victims who were scattered about on the accident scene.
According to one of the officials on the scene, the bakkie was extremely overloaded.
“We can’t have this, this vehicle was too overloaded. It was carrying 17 people as well as a lot of promotional material, such as buckets and a bulk of SIM cards. There were way too many people on the back alone,” said one of the officials on the scene. Traffic leading to and from Malalane was disrupted as one lane had to be closed to allow paramedics to attend to the injured.
Spokesman for the Malalane police, Const Bheki Nkosi, said police were investigating a case of culpable homicide following the death of one of the occupants in hospital.
“One of the victims died in hospital on Thursday night, so we are now investigating a case of culpable homicide,” Nkosi told Corridor Gazette last Friday.
Meanwhile the MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Mr Vusi Shongwe, pleaded with holidaymakers to be extra cautious and vigilant on the road this school holiday
“Motorists should remain cautious and obey road rules to avoid finding themselves on the wrong side of the law and at times causing accidents,” said Shongwe.
