Stimela lead singer in accident in Middelburg
Stimela lead singer and well known Jazz musician, Ray Phiri, was the driver in an accident that killed one pedestrian and critically injured another at the Samora Machel off-ramp near the N4 highway in Middelburg on Sunday night.
The accident occurred at around 20:20 and according to police he was en-route from Johannesburg to Nelspruit. He said in a statement that he just felt a “thump” and something hit against the car. He stopped and was shocked to learn that he had hit two pedestrians. He was driving an Audi A4.
“One of the pedestrians died on the scene whilst another sustained serious leg injuries and was taken to hospital,” Warrant Officer Lize de Witt said.
Phiri was picked up by someone on the scene, and it was not clear where he was taken, but he had no injuries.
Both pedestrians are residents of the nearby informal settlement. The deceased could not be identified at the time of going to print as his next of kin was yet to identify him on Monday morning.
“A case of culpable homicide has been opened,” W/O De Witt said.
• In the mid-80’s Phiri survived a crash which claimed the lives of his manager Peter Kunene and backing singer Jeanne Magubane. The group were returning to Johannesburg from a live music show where they had performed in the Free State when the accident happened between Kroonstad and Parys.
• In November 2003 he was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after surviving a car accident in which his wife died. The accident happened between Ekulindeni and Elukwatini near Ermelo when he lost control of his Toyota Corolla, which overturned.
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