Another one bites the dust

This follows a number of incidents where motorists have lost control of their vehicles and ended up in the spruit, either due to flooding or by driver error. A previously reported incident took place on 14 May when local security guard Frank Nolela attempted to cross the flooded low-level bridge in his newly-purchased vehicle but was swept over by the powerful current.

Nolela attempted to cross the flooded low-level bridge in his vehicle but was swept over by the powerful current. He managed to free himself from the half-submerged vehicle and walked to his place of work nearly 4km away in the pouring rain.

Read: River Club to the rescue

In this recent incident, eyewitnesses told the Sandton Chronicle that the driver fled the scene before police and security arrived, leaving the keys in the ignition of the vehicle. A domestic worker in the area was woken by the commotion. “I heard a loud crash at about five in the morning. When I got out to see what had happened, security and police were already on the scene,” said the worker who did not give her name.

Read: Ballyclare Drive crumbles

Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, Metro police spokesperson said the owner of the vehicle would be held responsible for its removal from the spruit. “It is up to the owner of the vehicle to organise removal,” he said. “What we sometimes find is that the driver is traumatised and flees the scene. According to regulation, we give the owner a seven-day grace period remove the vehicle.”

Read: Belgrave Road affected by rain

The river was not flooded at the time of the accident and the reason for the incident is yet unknown.

Ward 103 councillor Vincent Earp has escalated the issue of the dangerous bridge to the Johannesburg Roads Agency. “This cannot continue. They must make the low lying bridge safer for road users,” said Earp.