A week of road wrecks
A taxi accident where eight people were apparently injured was just one of many notable collisions over the recent weekend.
On Sunday, July 27 at about 17:00 a taxi collided with a white Jeep on Walter Sizulu Street just off the N4 highway. According to police reports the taxi was travelling from Ogies towards the Central Business District (CBD), while the driver of the Jeep was apparently turning right into Walter Sizulu Street from the highway when the accident happened.
When emergency services arrived on the scene they found the taxi overturned in the middle of the road. According to witnesses they saw ambulances transport eight patients away to hospital with serious injuries.
“It is bad. I got here and the taxi is on its side in the road,” said a pedestrian who stopped to see what all the commotion was about.
The accident caused heavy congestion for people getting on and off the highway and those travelling towards Ogies. The municipality has been contacted regarding the possibility of traffic lights being placed at this intersection.
Three cases of reckless and negligent driving have been opened by Witbank SAPS all from incidents that occurred in OR Tambo Street.
According to the police a case was opened after an officer who was on duty on July 22 was called out to an accident scene at about 22:30. A motorbike was hit by a passing truck, which caused the rider to swerve off the road and drive over an embankment. He was taken to Life Cosmos Hospital with serious injuries.
Another case was opened on July 23 where two trucks collided with the barricades on the N12 highway on the bridge crossing OR Tambo Street. The incident apparently occurred at about 23:00. One of the trucks was on fire and emergency services managed to save the driver from the burning truck, although he apparently sustained serious injuries.
The police are investigating the cause of the incident.
A third accident occurred before the weekend. On July 24 police were called out to the scene at about 20:00. Two VW Polos collided with each other when one of the drivers allegedly skipped a red traffic light. One of the passengers was taken to hospital.
