Deceased in R40 taxi crash identified
A collision between two minibus taxis on the R40 in Riverside left five people dead. They have now been identified.
The five people who died as a result of the horrific R40 minibus taxi crash last Thursday morning, August 31, have been identified.
Nelspruit Police Station’s spokesperson, Captain Zandile Gqawa, said Elliot Sivalo (43), Ephraim Kgamane (35), Nontobeko Mashaba (29), Sibusiso Nobela (38) and Lucky Mabuza (52) are the five people who died due to the collision between two minibus taxis at Riverside near the intersection at Mafunyane Water Park.
The Lowveld awoke to the news of a devastating crash that resulted in the closure a section of the R40 from Mbombela to White River for several hours, as emergency services and law enforcement worked frantically to secure the scene and rush multiple injured people to nearby hospitals.
SEE MORE HERE: WATCH: Video of horrific minibus accident on R40 leaked
This included the Mbombela Fire and Rescue Department and Van Wettens Breakdown Services, to help with the extrication of two passengers from one of the taxis.
It had been reported that two people were pronounced dead on the scene, while another three died shortly after while being treated in nearby hospitals.
Sivalo was one of the taxis’ drivers.
Mashaba was a 29-year-old who died just a few metres from her place of work, Seattle Coffee, situated inside the Caltex Riverside fuel station. The manager of the fuel station, Tyron Fourie, told Lowvelder that she had been due to start work at 06:00 that day.
READ MORE HERE: UPDATE: Death toll of R40 accident rises
“We heard there was an accident just up the road. At about 06:10, we heard from paramedics that she had been in the crash. They had identified her by her uniform,” he said.
He said she was well known within the emergency service fraternity as she was often the one to serve coffee to paramedics on shift.
“We asked one of her colleagues to walk to the scene. We didn’t know at that stage she had died. We thought she might be injured and could give her colleague her belongings so she did not have to worry about them. After a few minutes, the colleague called us and said she was dead. Everyone was devastated.”
He said she had been working at the company for about a year and was known for her bubbly and friendly personality. Colleagues said she was always dancing and making people smile and laugh.
“Everyone here is quite close-knit, so we are all taking the news quite badly,” Fourie said.
Video footage of the collision has since surfaced and has been shared across social media platforms, garnering hundreds of views and comments.
Meanwhile, Gqawa said that a case of culpable homicide has been opened by the Nelspruit police. She said the matter will then be taken to court for a decision on prosecution.
