Lowveld truck accidents spike
MBOMBELA - In less than a week, a spate of serious truck accidents across the Lowveld has left two people dead and three critically injured.
The members of the Lowveld community took to social media to express their concern and outrage over the multiple truck crashes that had occurred in various parts of the Lowveld with the first accident, a headon collision between a truck and a car, occurring on September 19 in Hazyview.
Lowvelder had previously reported that a mother and son, Debbie and Diego Lane, were seriously injured when a truck smashed into their Toyota Fortuner on the R536.
According to Debbie's husband, Darren, she was discharged from Mediclinic Nelspruit after surgery and is recovering at home. Diego (10) is still fighting for his life in hospital. He is being kept in an induced coma in ICU and will need to undergo several surgeries.
“I am relieved that my wife is back at home, but my biggest concern now is my son, because he is still in ICU and needs to go through a few operations. We are hoping for the best, while doctors are also doing their utmost to save his life,” said Darren.
He said the police are communicating with them, but the company owners of the truck involved in the accident have not yet. The Hazyview SAPS are still investigating.
In another incident near Marite on September 24, a father and son (4) lost their lives in a head-on collision with a truck on the R40 in Nkanini.
According to an eyewitness, Delani Nkuna, who had been driving behind the father and son's VW Golf, they were travelling towards Bushbuckridge from Hazyview when the Golf swerved directly into the lane of an oncoming truck.
“The truck driver tried to avoid him, but due to the high speed at which the Golf was travelling, he could not stop or swerve to the other side of the road. They collided headon,” said Nkuna.
Emergency personnel declared the driver dead on the scene. The young boy died in hospital. The truck driver sustained minor injuries and was treated on the scene. The police are investigating the matter.
On Tuesday September 27, an on-duty traffic officer was hit by a water tanker in Hazyview at 10:30. The officer was airlifted to hospital, and he is reported to be recovering at Mediclinic Nelspruit.
According to an eyewitness, Fana Mashaba, the officer was busy inspecting another vehicle when the truck hit the traffic officer’s car, before hitting the officer.
“I suspect the truck either had a brake failure or the driver lost control,” he said.
The trucker sustained minor injuries and was treated on the scene. The Hazyview police are investigating the causes of the accident.
In another incident on Tuesday at around 03:30, two drivers, in separate vehicles, were arrested after being caught with washing powder believed to have been looted from an accident scene involving two trucks on the Sudwala Road.
According to a provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, two trucks from different companies were transporting washing powder when one of the drivers lost control and the vehicle overturned.
The other truck hit the overturned truck and also overturned.
“Both drivers sustained minor injuries and were treated on the scene before being taken to hospital for medical attention. Motorists and nearby communities looted the washing powder from the trucks,” said Mdhluli.
Members of the Flying Squad came across two bakkies transporting washing powder, suspected to have been taken from the accident.
The drivers were stopped and arrested for possession of suspected stolen property after they could not produce proof the washing powder belonged to them. They are expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s
Court soon.