The Msukaligwa Local Municipality’s executive mayor, Mapulane Precious Nkosi, and her two bodyguards were involved in an accident on the R40 in Mbombela this morning, March 6.

Nkosi, her two bodyguards and the driver of the second vehicle involved in the accident all sustained minor injuries and were rushed to Mediclinic Nelspruit around 10:30.

The mayor was a passenger in a white Audi SUV. They were travelling from Barberton towards Mbombela. The collision occurred when the other vehicle, headed in the opposite direction, turned right onto the Hilltop road.

Witnesses at the scene said the mayor’s vehicle was escorted by two black BMW’s with their blue lamps on, but these cars were not involved in the accident.

When Lowveld Media arrived on the scene only the two vehicles that were involved in the crash were still there, and there was no sign of any escorting vehicles.

“The mayor was put on a stretcher before being lifted into the ambulance. Her bodyguards managed to get into it themselves. The driver of the other vehicle sustained some minor injuries on his arm and was also taken to hospital by ambulance,” said one of the traffic cops who were present on-scene.

This area has seen quite a number of other road accidents in recent weeks, including one in which the driver of a BMW died.