R1,000 bail for driver who allegedly knocked down woman

A man who allegedly ran down a Port Elizabeth grandmother while driving drunk has been released on R1,000 bail.

Siphesithle Jack, 29, is alleged to have hit Miriam Gcakasi, 72, with his Audi A4 while she was trying to cross the road at the corner of Main Road and 11th Avenue, Walmer.

Jack made a brief appearance in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of culpable homicide.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said Jack’s passengers, Luthando Magwala, 31, and Lwazi Mpengesi, 33, who were initially detained on a charge of obstructing police in performing their duties, had been discharged after their cases were not enrolled at court.

A blood sample was taken from Jack as it is suspected he was under the influence of alcohol at the time and a charge of drunk driving could be added after the results of the blood test are received.

“The culpable homicide charge is much more serious so [Jack] appeared in court only on that charge for now,” Janse van Rensburg said.

Gcakasi died on Monday afternoon — hours after the ban on alcohol sales was lifted as the country moved to alert level 3 of the national lockdown.

According to statistics provided by the Eastern Cape department of transport on Tuesday, Gcakasi was one of 10 people who died in road accidents in the Eastern Cape in a 24hour period after alcohol sales resumed.

Eight of the fatalities, including Gcakasi, were pedestrians.