POLOKWANE – A traffic official’s high-speed chase after the driver of a luxury sedan resulted in a collision that caused serious injuries on the (VIDEO) corner of Compensatie and Devenish Street on Tuesday.
According to two eye-witnesses who gave their accounts to the police, the traffic vehicle had no emergency lights or a siren on during the chase.
An eye-witness, Esther Manamela, said she was on her way to pick up her children from school when she saw a luxury sedan followed by a traffic vehicle, racing in Compensatie Street towards the intersection.
“I watched the chase when the luxury vehicle crossed over Devenish Street without stopping. The traffic official’s vehicle followed it, also not stopping, and collided with an oncoming vehicle in Devenish Street,” Manamela said.
She said the traffic vehicle then smashed into the perimeter wall of the complex she lived in.
“I phoned every number I could remember to get the emergency services there and bystanders hast-ened to assist the people in both vehicles,” she said.
Louise Brooks, the other eye-witness who spoke to the police, concurred with what Manamela had described.
Brooks added that the luxury sedan that was being chased just drove away without even slowing down after the crash.
According to emergency medical personnel on the scene the drivers of both vehicles involved in the collision were treated for various injuries.
The most serious of these were head injuries.
They were taken to different hospitals in the city.
Municipal spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, said she could not comment on the matter as the traffic vehicle involved was from the provincial traffic department.
Transport, security and liaison spokesperson, Mafenya Lediga, said the department was not aware of the accident and he would look into the matter.
He added that the law stated that, when in a high-speed chase, the traffic or police vehicle had to have its emergency lights and siren on.