Department of Transport declares week of mourning
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has announced a week of mourning in response to a series of tragic accidents that claimed the lives of 21 people over the past week in the province.
According to the Department’s preliminary report, the first accident occurred on Saturday morning (August 31).
Six members of the MK party died en route from Estcourt to former President Jacob Zuma’s homestead in Nkandla when their taxi veered off the road, rolled down an embankment, and caught fire. Ten other passengers were hospitalized following the incident.
In a separate accident on the R622 between Greytown and Mooi River, a collision between a Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Fortuner resulted in the deaths of 12 people. Among those who died was a Grade 8 student from Michaelhouse Garth, along with his parents Olivia and Gareth Finnemore. Another child was in the car and is said to be in a stable condition in hospital.
The crash claimed the lives of seven people in the Toyota Hilux, including four Lesotho nationals. The Department will engage with the Lesotho High Commission in Pretoria through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to discuss the repatriation of the deceased.
In the third incident, a head-on collision between a bakkie and a car on the R74 at the Sappi intersection near KwaDukuza resulted in three fatalities and three injuries.
MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, expressed profound sorrow over the tragedies, stating,
“No words can adequately convey our deepest sympathies to the families for their pain and irreplaceable loss. This is the most significant road carnage we have witnessed under the 7th Administration here in KwaZulu-Natal.”
Duma confirmed that a team of experienced officials would visit the affected families starting today to provide tailored support and empathy. Additionally, the Department plans to recruit 600 individuals across local, district, and provincial levels to bolster road safety campaigns over the next five years.
Today, MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane, and MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka are visiting the victims of the accidents at Greys Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.
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