Truck plummets off bridge

A truck plummeted off a bridge from the N12 killing the driver. On the quiet N12 at about 21:00 on August 13 emergency personnel await the Pathology van after emergency personnel recovered the victim’s body from the wreckage below the bridge.

According to the driver of a Mazda who was also damaged in the collision, the truck was apparently travelling in the fast lane on the N12 towards eMalahleni when he was passing two trucks travelling in the slow lane. According to reports one of the trucks tried to overtake but might have not noticed the Mazda as it was passing until the two vehicles collided. As the truck swerved out of the way it apparently plummeted off the bridge into the concrete foundation of the bridge below.

Emergency personnel searching for a possible second victim at the accident scene on August 13.

The driver was declared dead on the scene by emergency service personnel. They also searched the wreck for anyone who might have been travelling with the victim but it is presumed that he was travelling alone. The company that owns the truck cleared the wreck using cranes. The deceased who is a young Zimbabwean was working locally as a driver for a transport company. His name is Tinenhamo Chikuta (30) and was officially identified on Monday August 17 although he has been unofficially identified by his work co-workers who arrived on the scene after hearing the fate that befell their colleague.

On the scene the Mazda waiting to be towed away stands several hundred meters away from where the damaged railing points to the wrecked truck and the driver seemed not to have sustained any injuries.