Accident survivor tells it all
ALEXANDRA - A survivor of last week's horrific and deadly bakkie accident on the N3 highway will live with the memory and trauma of the incident for a long time.
A survivor of a horrific and deadly bakkie accident on the N3 highway two weeks ago will live with the memory and trauma of the incident for a long time.
The accident, which happened between Vincent Tshabalala Road and Marlboro Drive, left 11 people dead and five survivors.
Austin Aphane said the accident, which involved a Toyota Rider, could have been avoided. It happened when they were on their way to Waterval Cemetery to bury a friend and most of the mourners were friends from Alex. The deceased all died on the spot and the injured were taken to hospital where Aphane and three others were released after treatment the same day.
Aphane, who was in front with the driver and the vehicle owner, who both died, said the driver was under the influence of alcohol resulting in human error. “He refused to heed my, and the owner’s, advice to reduce the speed and to be cautious. He [driver] had been drinking all night and should not have been behind the wheel as his judgment was impaired,” said Aphane. Aphane said he moved to the front to assist in driving after a female passenger had requested to be dropped off before entering the freeway because of the erratic driving.
He said the accident was most regrettable because they were headed to a cemetery to bury a close friend, but some of the passengers never arrived. “More people, who knew to each other, were buried a week after.” The driver is said to have died with his brother and other passengers at the back of the vehicle. They were crushed on the tarmac and side railing when the vehicle rolled three times.
Aphane said he crawled out of the mangled car to see traffic backed up for a distance and police and emergency vehicles attending to the injured passengers and placing the dead into body bags. “I thanked other motorists’ cautious actions which avoided a vehicle pileup and more injuries,” he said.
The deceased were given a mass memorial at Sankopano Community Centre before separate burials by their families. Aphane sustained superficial injuries to his left ankle and head, as well as spinal cord pain which he is self-medicating with pain killers.
