‘Our front yard looked like a warzone’

A DURBAN North family is still reeling in shock, three days after a bakkie ploughed through their precast wall landing on top of their luxury Audi, just inches from their front door. Miraculously the family of four, their pets and the driver of the bakkie escaped without serious injury. However the accident has cost the homeowners hundreds of thousands in damages.

The accident occurred on Friday night at about 7pm when the driver of a Toyota Hilux allegedly lost control of his bakkie on Umhlanga Rocks Drive and ended up crashing through the fence of the Ryde Place residents.

Vino Pillay said his family were preparing for their Friday prayers when he heard a loud screeching followed by a thunderous crash.

“We were in the living room and my son and daughter were about to join us when I heard an almighty bang, which I thought were two cars colliding right outside our house and then this deafening crash as the bakkie landed on top of our car parked in the front yard,” he said.

Pieces of bricks from the wall also came crashing through the Pillay’s living room window. When paramedics and police arrived, the Audi had to be towed from under the Hilux to clear the scene.

“We were shellshocked and our front yard looked like a warzone. We could’ve died. My son often sits in the car in the evening listening to music. This could’ve ended in tragic circumstances, I’m just grateful that my family is safe,” Pillay said.

Pillay said he would be contacting the municipality over the issue of speeding on Umhlanga Rocks Drive.