WHITE RIVER – A chef of Fez at Bagdad tragically died in a hit and run accident this weekend.

Sous-chef Sibusiso Percy Mnisi from Kabokweni was killed in a hit and run accident on the Plaston Road (D812.)

Constable Gugu Phiri from SAPS White River confirmed that the accident occurred at 4:00 on Sunday morning. The driver of the car tried to get away unseen but his car got stuck and he was arrested. The suspect will appear in court tomorrow in White River on a charge of culpable homicide.

In August only, Mpumalanga province recorded at least 541 crashes that left 93 people dead of which 25 of them were pedestrians. 386 people sustained serious injuries while 599 were slightly injured.

It was earlier wrongly stated  by the SAPS Calcutta station commander, Colonel Mahinde,  that Mnisi was killed in a head-on collision on the road to the Kruger Gate on Sunday morning. This accident also happened in the early hours. It was confirmed by Joseph Mabuza, of the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison,that in this accident one person was killed (a passenger in the Corsa) and three seriously injured.

According to Mr Matthew Louw, area manager for Thompson Tours, a Corsa crossed the road and collided with one of the company’s safari vehicles. Mr Edgar Mabuza, the driver of the safari vehicle, was in hospital in Mkhulu for a day but is now resting at his parent’s home. He was treated for neck injuries and broken ribs.

The safari vehicle is a write-off. Mabuza was on his way to pick up guests for a tour of the Kruger National Park (KNP) at the Kruger Gate Hotel when the accident happened.

Concern has been expressed by various users of the road from Hazyview to Kruger Gate and vicinity, as speeding on these dangerous roads has become a real hazard to the motorists as well as to residents of the area. Should the safety of safari vehicles be beefed up?

The incidence of accidents with vehicles owned by safari tour operators are increasing. Louw confirmed that one of his firm’s vehicles was also involved in an accident on the road to Bushbuckridge.

Kurt Safari’s owner, Kurt Schultz, said one of his vehicles was involved in an accident when cattle was chased in front of the vehicle near Phabeni Gate.

“These accidents are not caused by safari vehicles but by speeding and dangerous drivers on these roads close to the KNP,” said Schulz.

Louw said that because of the drought more and more cattle are coming to the road because there is still green grass next to the road. His office is regularly contacted by overseas visitors who use rental cars and run into trouble on the road.