LYDENBURG – The road between town and Sabie was closed for 10 hours on Saturday to remove a truck that had veered onto a mountain slope on Friday.
According to Mr Danny Theron from Off Road Rescue Unit and Bossies Community Justice, the accident occurred at about 13:00. It took emergency personnel four hours to free the driver and his passenger who were trapped in the truck cabin. The misty, wet weather was said to be the cause of the accident.
It took emergency personnel four hours to free the driver and his passenger who were trapped in the truck cabin. The misty, wet weather was said to be the cause of the accident.
Emergency personnel were alerted by British tourists who saw the accident take place. The men were transported to Lydenburg Hospital. One sustained chest injuries and the other a fractured leg.
A tow truck had to recover the vehicle the next day. The public was informed on various social-media platforms about the road closure.
The rescue team started at 08:00 on Saturday.
According to Mr Deon Broekman, hazmat operator from Rapid Response, the initial plan was to be done by noon. “We could not finish at the time we had hoped to. It was precise work with a 90-ton breakdown recovery truck. The depth of the slope was estimated at about 40 metres.”
The road was closed about 35 kilometres out of Lydenburg and nine kilometres before the Sabie and Mbombela turn-off.
It was eventually cleared at 18:00.
