MBOMBELA – Recklessness and driving under the influence of alcohol contributed to carnage on Mpumalanga’s roads this past weekend.
This was according to Martin Jeffrey of Emer-G-Med, who witnessed how alcohol played a serious role in the 13 accidents he attended, in which three people were killed.
The carnage started on Friday at around 06:45 when three vehicles were involved in a collision on the R38 near Kaapmuiden.
According to Jeffrey, the driver of a white Nissan Almera was travelling towards Barberton when he lost control of the vehicle around a bend.
“Two oncoming vehicles tried to avoid the collision but failed to do so, resulting in the pile-up,” he said. Shortly before midnight, Nelson Alberto Tlemo (39), a Mozambican resident, was decapitated when the vehicle he was a passenger in collided with a truck. Both vehicles were travelling in Mbombela’s direction.
It is alleged that fatigue resulted in the driver not noticing the Schoemanskloof Road T-junction at Montrose. “The driver of the small hatchback continued straight ahead and collided with the side of the truck’s trailer. A wheel of the trailer decapitated Tlemo,” Jeffrey said, and added that both the drivers escaped unscathed.
This gruesome accident was followed by another fatality minutes later, just before the turn-off to Mataffin.
The driver of a Volkswagen Polo allegedly cut the corner where Samora Machel Drive intersects with the road leading to their destination. The driver, Xolani Makosi Sifunda (26), *was allegedly flung from the vehicle and died.
Sifunda had three passengers, among whom was a 15-year-old, who escaped unscathed. The other two were taken to Rob Ferreira Hospital by Hi-Tech Medical Services and ER24, where they were treated. Witnesses said the car was full of empty beer bottles.
Another Polo overturned at around 02:00 on Saturday, but the four occupants were uninjured.
At 06:30, a Polo driver, allegedly travelling at a high speed, lost control on the wet road. Three occupants were seen throwing beer bottles into the Crocodile River shortly after the incident. Emer-G-Med took them to hospital were they were treated for minor injuries.
Two pedestrians were also hit in two separate incidents.
Jeffrey said the first incident occurred on Saturday morning, where an oncoming vehicle forced a black SUV to swerve, hitting a pedestrian on the sidewalk.
He escaped with minor injuries.
Moeti Mmusi, spokesman for community safety, security and liaison, confirmed that the second incident was, however, fatal. “This occurred near Pienaar,” he said, and added that the identity of this victim is not known at this stage.
A woman sustained severe injuries to her pelvis in a collision near Yaverland on Saturday. The victim stated that as she was about to turn into her driveway, a car travelling without headlights smashed into the side of her vehicle. She was rushed to Kiaat Hospital. Her condition was not known by the time of going to press, but Jeffrey, who transported her to hospital, suspects that she might have sustained a fracture.
A family of four had to be rushed to Mediclinic Nelspruit after they collided with a stationary Isuzu bakkie near the Uitkyk Road on the N4 on Saturday night. The driver apparently failed to see the vehicle as it had no tail lights.
Carewell assisted to transport one of the patients. They were treated for minor lacerations.
On the dreaded S-bend on Enos Mabuza Drive, three vehicles left the road in wet conditions, but luckily no serious injuries occurred.
Other less serious accidents included the driver of a vehicle who lost control under the same conditions, on the Plaston Road near KaBokweni. LifeMed assisted with these patients.
A man, who had just bought a brand-new Toyota Hilux Dakar bakkie, owned it for one day before wrecking it.
“Generally any loss of life is deeply regrettable,” said Mmusi and added that the department appeals to motorists to obey the rules of the road. “Motorists need to tolerate others. “We will be increasing visible policing with immediate effect. Hereby we wish to curb needless crashes which continue to claim lives,” he concluded.
Crowding an accident scene – why you should keep your distance
*Lowvelder previously reported Xolani Makosi Sifunda tried to flee the scene before he died. This, according to a friend who was also in the vehicle, was not the case.
