KwaDukuza deputy mayor Njabulo Cele’s bodyguards escaped unharmed when their vehicle overturned after allegedly swerving to avoid a head-on collision on the P415 near Mandeni yesterday afternoon. Cele was not in the vehicle at the time.

According to a KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) statement, the bodyguards were on their way to KwaDukuza.

“A Ford Icon tried to overtake several cars and a truck on a stretch of road that prohibits overtaking,” read the municipality’s statement. “To avoid a head-on collision, the driver of the deputy mayor’s car swerved, and the car landed in a ditch and overturned.”

The driver of the Ford Icon fled the scene but was later apprehended by another motorist and the police. He is now in custody at the Mandeni police station, facing charges of reckless and negligent driving and failing to render assistance at an accident scene.

KDM director for communications Sifiso Zulu refuted the insinuation on the Ezivuthayo Emaputaland Facebook page that the bodyguards were under the influence of alcohol.

According to Zulu, in a photograph of the accident scene a cooler box can be seen in the boot of the car, this caused the speculation. He confirmed the coolerbox had contained water.

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