Since last week it has been chaos on the roads.
The notorious mist embracing the highways running through eMalahleni started the sad spree.
On Friday, June 27 seven people were killed in three separate crashes in a multi vehicle collision that involved 17 vehicles.
The 17 vehicles included 10 sedans, two articulated trucks, four light delivery vehicles and one minibus.
In the first incident at around 07:30 three people were killed instantly. Ninety minutes later three people died on the same highway.
Two of them are believed to be tourists from outside the country.
The three were reportedly travelling from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park when the crash occurred.
The sedan that the three were travelling in collided with two trucks from head and rear.
It is not clear as to what led to the crash.
In another incident, one driver passed away at the scene when a sedan collided with a bakkie and a sports utility vehicle on the N12 close to eMalahleni.
Although misty conditions are suspected to have played a hand in these crashes, the investigation by the police is already underway.
Mr Robert Moko said he was travelling to Ogies and did not realise how thick the mist was until it was too late to turn around.
“I was in the fast lane keeping my speed less than 100km/h. All of a sudden there was a stationary green Isuzu bakkie in front of me. I was on top of it and tried to brake, but I could not avoid bumping the bakkie,” Moko said.
Sitting in the bakkie too afraid to get out in case someone drives into him, Moko could only hear the sounds of shrieking brakes as one car after the other followed suit.
“An Opel Astra bumped into my car, then a Jeep bumped into the Opel Astra. By then I sat there praying that God keeps His hand over us.”
Mr Matlatsie Malele echoed Moko’s words, “You can’t see a thing, but your imagination is working overtime as you hear one car after the other slamming on brakes and bumping into other cars.”
Malele and his friends were on their way to Kempton Park when they also became part of the pile-up.
They got out of their car and rushed to the side of the road where they hurdled together and prayed.
“Seconds become minutes and it feels like forever. I just wanted it all to stop, but the cars just kept coming.”
“The mist was extremely thick,” said Mr Dougie Potgieter.
He commutes on the N12 daily to work and back.
“I could not see the number plate of the vehicle in front of me, let alone any road markings. You literally drive blind.”
Potgieter said pulling off next to the road is not an option as many other motorists and drivers of heavy vehicles have the same idea and that may cause more accidents.
Four other accidents the weekend took the tally to 22.
On Saturday, June 29 four lives were lost when two sedans collided head on between Charl Cilliers and Embalenhle.
The crash happened around 06:00.
Three of the victims died on the scene while a fourth person died in a nearby hospital.
Later the evening at approximately 18:30 two drivers were killed on the R545 road near Ga-Nala.
Three passengers were seriously injured and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
At around 19:00 an accident on the road between Middelburg and Stoffberg claimed the lives of seven people.
“The seven include the driver and six passengers in the bakkie. Indications are that the trailer which was drawn by one of the vehicles got off the hook. The trailer allegedly went in front of the oncoming traffic colliding with the bakkie. The driver of the bakkie seemingly lost control and the bakkie then collided head-on with the truck,” said Moeti Mmusi, spokesperson from Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison.
Emergency services again had to rush to the R544 between Ga-Nala and Bethal when two people were killed when the bakkie they were travelling in collided with two articulated trucks.
The crash happened around 19:30.
Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Ms Gabisile Shabalala is once more calling on motorists to obey the rules because most of these crashes, she believes, could have been avoided had greater care been taken by some of those involved. She says the fact that most of these crashes were head-on collisions, is an indication that most of the crashes were likely caused by human errors.
Mr Gavin Cooper, paramedic from to Legacy Emergency Specialists said there are several precautions you can take when you end up in dense mist.
“Visibility on the roads can sometimes decrease to zero in a matter of minutes. If you can avoid driving in the mist, please do so,” he said.
He said you should not use your brights as light reflects back off the mist and creates a white out effect, which can quickly disorientate and blind you.
“It is difficult to judge your speed in the mist. Please reduce your speed according to visibility and keep a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you, they might have to slam on brakes.”
He advices that you roll down your window a bit.
This will help you to hear what is happening around you.
You can hear a vehicle approaching from the rear and can also hear if a vehicle suddenly comes to a screeching halt.
Use the edge of the road or your lane as a guide instead of using the vehicle in front of you.
“Never drive erratically during bad weather, try to stay in your lane and keep moving at a safe speed instead of coming to a halt in the road. Try not to overtake or brake harshly unnecessarily. If you pull over, ensure you are as far off the roadway as possible. Beware of ditches and objects hidden in the shoulder. Switch your headlights off so other vehicles do not assume you are in a moving lane. Put your hazards on. Stay in your vehicle at all times and keep safety belts fastened.”
