Ni-Da responds to reports of reckless N11 driver
Operations Director for Ni-Da Transport, Pieter Kwakernaak stated the incident was 'pure reckless driving'.
Ni-Da responds to reports of reckless N11 driver –
A video has gone ‘viral’ in recent days, depicting an allegedly reckless and negligent driver on the N11 (Majuba Pass).
In the video, reportedly captured by a motorist on Saturday (May 14), the driver appears to deliberately endanger the lives of countless other drivers by overtaking on solid lines and corners, speeding, and even colliding with a bakkie and trailer, causing the vehicle to veer almost off the road surface.
Officials have confirmed that the driver was eventually stopped by Charlestown SAPS, who arrested and charged him for reckless and negligent driving.
Watch the footage below (video from SA Trucker on YouTube):
Local transport company, Ni-Da, which owns the truck in the viral video clip, has since responded to the Newcastle Advertiser about the incident.
Operations Director for Ni-Da Transport, Pieter Kwakernaak stated the company ‘does not and will not’ tolerate a driver putting someone’s life in danger, as is highlighted in the viral video.
We have seen the footage and we are shocked by his behaviour! We have started internal investigations and we can confirm that the driver in question will not set foot on another fleet at our company again! We started our internal investigation this week and we can confirm that an offence such as this is cause for immediate dismissal.”
Kwakernaak revealed the driver had been employed by the company for more than a year and in this time, had never given any reason to question his credibility as a driver. He stated the company ‘always did its homework’ before hiring drivers.
[The driver] had a good track record and references to back him up. He has been a good driver and there was no prior indication he was capable of the actions shown this past weekend, so we can only wonder what went through his mind, causing him to act that way. But with this said, Ni-Da has a zero tolerance policy for reckless driving and we cannot allow him to operate our fleets any further.”
He added that even if the driver had not been stopped and charged by SAPS, the company would have detected his reckless driving through its own internal systems, such as tracking and in-cab cameras.
In terms of driving behavior, we have various flags that arise and this was definitely flagged on our system.”
Kwakernaak further assured the Newcastle Advertiser that despite rumours that the truck experienced brake failure, there was ‘absolutely nothing mechanically wrong with the truck’. He stated the incident was ‘pure reckless driving’.
In conclusion, Kwakernaak gave the community assurances that Ni-Da’s trucks and drivers’ behaviour are monitored constantly.
Read this week’s edition of the Newcastle Advertiser for the full report on the incident.
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