Lesedi Local Municipality mayor Lerato Maloka was rushed to an accident scene on Thursday afternoon after her husband, TG Mkhize, had killed two cows and five calves when he smashed his brand new Mercedes Benz into a herd of cattle on the R23 south of Heidelberg.
The cowlamity took place at approximately 16:20, less than a kilometre from the notorious Spook (Ghost) bridge just outside the suburb of Rensburg.
On the scene Mkhize admitted that he did not abide by the 80km/h speed limit. The herdsman, however, did not implement the required safety measures when relocating cattle.
“I think I was doing about 110 km/h, there was no time to hit the brakes” Mkhize said in conversation with three of the bystanders.
Driving a vehicle he reportedly purchased only hours before the incident, Mkhize was traveling towards Rensburg and misjudged a blind rise before swerving to the right hand side of the road where his vehicle eventually came to a standstill.
Mkhize was previously employed as the official driver of the mayor.
In an interesting twist, the mayor’s husband’s car stopped about three metres from that of the husband of Democratic Alliance councillor Mirna Mulder.
Lourens Mulder was heading towards Balfour when he pulled over to allow the herd to cross the road. All he could do was watch as the Mercedes sped in his direction.
The total loss farmer Andre van Rooyen suffered is estimated at R30 000 while the Mercedes Benz is closer to the R1-million mark.
The dead cows were donated to a Lion park.
