Traffic officer injured in secondary accident

Second crash as traffic cop speeds to accident scene

Drivers stuck in the traffic this morning on the R40, while emergency officials attended to victims of a horrific crash, witnessed a second accident a short distance from the intersection.

A traffic officer was driving to the accident scene in the yellow lane when the car he was in allegedly clipped a bus and he lost control. The car flew up the embankment, hit a tree and came down on its side, narrowly missing hitting cars in the left lane of traffic.

View photos here:

Eye witnesses report the traffic officer was driving fast, obviously intent on getting to the scene of the accident as quickly as possible. Fortunately the traffic officer was not badly hurt. He was attended to by a paramedic and then taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The first accident occurred at approximately 07:00 at the intersection of Plaston Road and the R40 in Rocky Drift. The driver of a mini bus, carrying approximately 15 passengers, failed to stop at the bottom of Plaston Road.

Nine people have been confirmed dead. According to Sgt Gerald Sedibe, seven were killed on the scene while two died a short while later in hospital. Seven others were admitted to various hospitals in Mbombela with serious injuries.

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