Man dies crossing railway, three cops killed

A 49-year-old man was crushed by a speeding train while crossing a railway line near Egerton train station outside Mdantsane on Tuesday.

This brought the number of people in the province killed while crossing the path of a train to three since April, said Passenger Rail Agency SA spokesperson Mimi Katsio.

Another two people lost their lives in separate incidents at Panmure station near Braelyn, and outside Port Elizabeth, said Katsio.

Police spokesperson Capt Mluleki Mbi said an inquest docket had been opened.

Katsio said the man was struck by the train at 6pm on Tuesday.

Ninety commuters were aboard the Berlin-bound 0024 train, which departed at 4.45pm from East London station.

“People should obey safety rules from Metrorail,” she said.

● Three Mthatha police officers were injured after their work bus collided head-on with a sedan on the R61 near Efata School outside Mthatha on Saturday morning.

Eastern Cape provincial police spokesperson Capt Khaya Tonjeni said: “It is alleged that three members attached to POP [Public Order Police] in Mthatha were on duty driving from their office to Mthatha when an Audi vehicle which was driving from Mthatha towards Engcobo overtook another vehicle and drove into the members’ vehicle.”

Two occupants of the Audi were also hurt.

However, the saga was not yet over as a bakkie then smashed into the back of the damaged Audi.

No further injuries were sustained, said Tonjeni.

● Acting national police commissioner Lt-Gen Bonang Mgwenya has sent her condolences to the families of three Eastern Cape police officers who were killed in separate incidents while off duty over the past two weeks.

The deceased are Capt Mzikayise Kelemane, 47, Const Thobani Sitolo, 34, and Sgt Pathiswa Mhlola.

Kelemane’s body was discovered by a resident on Monday in a field near Addo Road in Port Elizabeth, said Col Brenda Muridili.

Sitolo was shot on Saturday while trying to prevent a vehicle theft.

Mhlola was ambushed and shot on October 1 while leaving the Libode police station near Mthatha. She died in hospital.