Malelane truck driver’s case back in court

NELSPRUIT- The sentencing of a truck driver who killed 24 farm workers from Tolloh farm when his truck collided with a train was postponed to continue today June 24.

Mr George Mandlazi (33) accompanied by his mother who had been standing by his side ever since the beginning of the matter briefly appeared in the Pretoria High Court based in Nelspruit on February 23 however the presiding judge in the matter Judge Nomsa Khumalo postponed the mater to continue today while the court waits for a social workers’s report.

The court heard that the social worker was on maternity leave but was willing to compromise and come to court for this case today. Mandlazi who was initially charged with 24 counts of murder pleaded guilty to 24 counts of culpable homicide and one of negligent driving after a plea bargain was reached between prosecutor and his lawyer Ms Melanie Erasmus lasy year November.

He admitted to driving negligently and unintentionally causing the deaths of 24 farmworkers on July 13, 2012, when his truck collided with a goods at a level crossing between Malelane and Hectorspruit.

Nineteen of them died on the scene, five died on their way to hospital, and 23 were injured.

The State accepted his plea and withdrew charges of murder and attempted murder.
Outside court this newspaper learnt that most of the survivors lost interest in the case after the plea bargain, a reliable source alleged that the victims might have lost interest in the matter because the bargain automatically withdrew all the charges of attempted murder.

“That might had been the reason why survivors of the accident were not present in court today,” said the source.