R4m for pothole crash

BRONKHORSTSPRUIT motorcyclist Jan Harm Steenkamp had a crash when drove over a pothole on a provincial road outside Pretoria, which resulted in one of his legs being amputated.

The 60-year-old is claiming more than R4 million in damages from the Gauteng roads and transport MEC – and has received the green light from the high court in Pretoria to proceed with his claim, although it was launched late.

Steenkamp explained to the court he was a layman regarding the law and he had no idea he could institute a damages claim against the provincial government for the injuries he had suffered.

He said he was riding a motorcycle on May 19, 2012 along the M17, from Pretoria North to Andeon. The road was not properly maintained, there were potholes and the tar surface was uneven.

His motorcycle hit a pothole, causing him to lose control. The bike hit the barrier and Steenkamp was flung off it. His leg was crushed and it had to be amputated. He also suffered injuries to his right eye and lost the sight in it.

He is blaming the accident on the provincial authorities, who he said had a duty to ensure roads were safe for the public to travel on. The potholes should have been fixed or there should have been signs warning road users. He added that the authorities should have inspected the road regularly.

His leg had deteriorated to such an extent it had to be amputated more than a year after the accident.

Steenkamp said he had been in and out of hospital for months, and could consult with a lawyer only in 2014. His primary concern was to try to save his leg from amputation.

In terms of the law, summons must be served within six months of an accident, but Steenkamp said that apart from not knowing the law or that organs of state could be held responsible, he’d been concentrating on his leg.