BARBERTON – While en route help a young man near Louisville on Saturday afternoon, the rescue vehicle of the already struggling Umjindi Municipality was involved in an accident that left it in pretty bad shape.
According to rescue official, Mr Claude Mbhijane Kubaye, he was proceeding down De Villiers Street towards Sheba Road with emergency lights on and sirens blaring, when, metres before the three-way stop at Multi-Save, the driver of a white Nissan bakkie ignored the stop sign in Adcock Street and collided with the oncoming rescue vehicle.
It is clear from the skid marks on the road, that Kubaye applied brakes five metres before the intersection in an effort to avoid the accident.
Kubaye immediately informed the control room as well as superintendent of the Umjindi Traffic Department, Mr Clarence Hobbs about the incident.
Only moments after the accident, Kubaye as well as numerous eyewitnesses at the scene, noticed that the passenger in the Nissan was trying to get rid of several beer bottles from inside the cab of the bakkie.On arrival, the SAPS accompanied the driver of the Nissan, Mr Stanley Gama from Low’s Creek, to the police van.
Blood tests were done to determine whether he was under the influence at the time of the accident, but the results are not yet known. In the meantime, the Umjindi Municipality has to make do without its rescue vehicle until repairs can be done, which Lowvelder was told would be as soon as possible.
