Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
7 more killed at crossing of death Bakkie driver tries to beat train
EIGHT years after a horrific collision claimed the lives of 10 schoolchildren at a Blackheath railway level crossing, seven men died at the same spot yesterday.
Six of them, all Zimbabwean, were on their way to work.
The bakkie they were being transported in was hit by a train at about 5.40am at the notorious Buttskop crossing after the driver apparently ignored warning signals.
The driver was also killed in the collision. Two brothers-inlaw were among the dead.
When the Weekend Argus visited the scene, Clement Goteka, the father of 29-yearold Manasa Goteka, was inconsolable and could not believe that his son was gone. His son-in-law, Carson Jasi, 23, had also been in the bakkie which had picked up the duo only 40 minutes before the crash.
Melvin Goteka, 23, was first to arrive at the gruesome scene where he immediately identified his brother, who was lying a few metres away from the rail tracks.
“I stopped the car and I just saw him lying there. I saw his blue T-shirt and blue overall pants but I did not expect it to be that serious. I thought they were just injured. But what was the driver thinking? How do you get hit by a train like that?”
When Weekend Argus arrived at the family’s home in Kalkfontein, Kuilsriver, the Goteka and Jasi families had gathered and Manasa’s wife, Elizabeth Jasi, was crying hysterically in her mother-in-law’s arms.
Happy Goteka said she’d last seen her son, Manasa, the previous night. “I heard the transport when it came to fetch them. I heard them when they left.
“I cannot believe that I will never see my sons again.” The heartbroken woman said her
son and son-in-law had been “disciplined and hard-working young men. People always told me I am blessed to have them”.
Tinashe Mdakatura, 30, another victim, had lived alone. His cousin, who did not wish to be named, said their family could not believe that he was gone.
“Most of the family is in Zimbabwe; they are shocked and refuse to accept it. Tinashe was a great person and I will miss him a lot.”
Metrorail spokesperson Zinobulali Mihi said the accident had been due to human error. She said regular maintenance checks were done along all train lines and a routine check had been done in Blackheath a week ago.
“The robots had already turned amber when the driver of the taxi in front of the bakkie crossed over.
“The driver thought he would be faster than the train and ignored the hooting as well as the robot signals.
“All warning signals at the level crossing are in good working condition, including the boom gates,” she said.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said the circumstances of the collision were being investigated.
This is the same level crossing where school transport driver Jacob Humphreys ignored signals, killing 10 children when a train smashed into his vehicle in 2010.
He had overtaken several cars and ignored safety warnings.
Humphreys was found guilty on 10 charges of murder and four of attempted murder in 2011. He received a 20-year prison sentence which was later reduced to eight by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
asanda.sokanyile@inl.co.za