Two gruesome accidents claimed 11 lives in three days. One took place on the Verena Road on Tuesday, February 28 and the other on the R555 (old Middelburg road) on Sunday, February 25.
On Tuesday, a minibus taxi and a Golf collided head on, leaving two passengers dead and 11 injured. The taxi allegedly had nine passengers, and they were all transported to various hospitals in eMalahleni by paramedics such as ER24, Legacy Emergency Specialists, Langamed Emergency Management as well as the Provincial Ambulance Services.
Mr Gareth van der Merwe from a towing company said that the taxi was going in the direction of eMalahleni from Pine Ridge, and the Golf was allegedly going in the Pine Ridge direction when the accident took place. It is also alleged that the taxi wanted to overtake another vehicle and that is when the vehicles collided.
The accident on Tuesday, February 28 claimed two lives and left 11 injured on the Verena Road.
According to information, the Provincial Ambulance Services were first on the scene and they also attempted to save the life of a patient, who was later declared dead on scene. She was allegedly a passenger in the taxi.
The other passenger died instantly and had to be removed from the vehicle by the eMalahleni Fire Department. Her legs were trapped between the dashboard and the car floor.
The bodies were transported to Witbank Mortuary by the pathologists.
Ms Estie Biela, paramedic from ER24, told WITBANK NEWS that everyone sustained mild to moderate injuries. ER24 transported two patients, where one broke both of her legs and the other had bumped his head.
The accident scene on Sunday, February 25 on the R555 (old Middelburg road) claimed nine lives.
“Police are currently investigating two cases of culpable homicide, following the accident” said communications officer, Kapt Eddie Hall.
Another accident on Sunday claimed the lives of nine people. This was when a taxi collided with a truck, after the truck allegedly attempted to stop when the driver saw an Isuzu in his lane. During this process, the truck driver lost control of the truck and it caused the truck to jack knife and ploughed into the side of the road with a big impact. At this stage, the truck driver heard a loud noise, and it was later alleged that was when the taxi hit the truck.
According to the truck driver, he did not see the taxi approaching when the accident happened. He only realised what had happened, after everything calmed down. When ER24 arrived on scene, they counted 10 passengers from the taxi, where only one survived the horrible accident. She sustained serious injuries and was transported to Middelburg Provincial Hospital.
The Golf was left unrecognisable after an accident on Tuesday, February 28 on the Verena Road.
A paramedic from ER24 said that when they arrived on scene, there was no sign of life among the remaining nine passengers. It first seemed like 10 patients, but was later discovered that nine patients had passed away.
The truck driver sustained mild injuries, as well as the driver of the Isuzu.
It was established that the taxi was on its way from White River to Johannesburg and one of the SAPS (South African Police Service) officers said that it is the first time in a while that he witnessed such as gruesome and horrible accident.
Warrant Officer, Lize De Witt, communication officer at Middelburg Police Station, stated on Tuesday that only four bodies have been identified by the time of going to print. One male was identified as John Clement Chauke (24), from Dobsonville, Delisiwe Thabethe (29) from eMalahleni, Nkateko Sithole (29) from Ankerhoek and Yvonne Nelisiwe Maphanga (32) from Hazyview.
She also mentioned that arrangements have been made for four bodies to be identified on Wednesday, March 1, as the family does not reside in the area.
Mr Eric Nkosi, husband of Delisiwe explained his wife to be a free spirited and happy person. He also said that her burial will take place on Saturday, March 4 in Nelspruit.
“We were together for two years and had no children together. We also resided in eMalahleni,” Nkosi said.
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