Tragic weekend on KZN roads leaves seven dead, 21 injured
DRINK-DRIVING CRACKDOWN
The scene of an accident in Umbilo, where a bakkie flipped. The driver, a man in his sixties, died while his wife sustained serious injuries.
Image: Supplied
The past few days on the roads of KwaZulu-Natal have turned deadly as a series of tragic accidents unfolded, resulting in the loss of seven lives, including children, and leaving 21 individuals injured. The harrowing incidents have sparked renewed calls for road safety in the province.
On Friday night, KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma released a statement highlighting a horrific accident that occurred along the N2 near the Umzumbe River Bridge. This devastating head-on collision claimed the lives of five individuals, including three young children, believed to be part of the same family. The accident involved a Suzuki light motor vehicle and a seven-seater minibus.
"Three children, aged between three and five, along with two adults, presumed to be the mother and father, tragically died instantly," said Duma. The MEC confirmed that another female passenger and a 14-year-old boy were rushed to the nearest hospital for treatment, whilst two occupants of the minibus also suffered injuries.
Following the grim events, a team from the MEC's office has been assigned to liaise with local community leaders, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) has launched an investigation into the matter.
Five people were killed in this accident on the N2 near the Umzumbe River Bridge.
Image: Supplied
In a separate incident at around 5.43pm on Friday, IPSS Medical Rescue reported a serious collision on Old Main Road in Esperanza, near Umzinto, involving a taxi and a light motor vehicle. This accident resulted in at least one fatality and 16 injuries, with affected individuals sustaining serious to minor injuries.
The situation continued to worsen early Saturday morning when a bakkie overturned on Bowen Avenue in the Umbilo area of Durban. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson detailed the scene upon their arrival, stating that the driver, a man believed to be in his sixties, had been ejected from the vehicle upon impact and was declared dead at the scene. His wife, found inside the wreckage, suffered serious injuries and was transported to hospital for urgent care.
As the fatalities and injuries continued to mount, MEC Duma reiterated his commitment to improving road safety across the province. In a concerted effort, his “No Nonsense team from the Road Traffic Inspectorate” led a crackdown on drunk driving that resulted in the arrest of 113 motorists in Richards Bay, Empangeni and Esikhawini during an operation that ran from Friday night into the early hours of Saturday.
This operation saw 54 arrests in Richards Bay, 28 in Empangeni, and 31 in Esikhawini. Duma noted that since August 15, an alarming total of 1,230 motorists have been apprehended for driving under the influence.
In a notable arrest during these intensified operations, a man was apprehended for possession of drugs, while another motorist caught for drunk driving was found with a firearm, an infringement of the Firearms Control Act. One taxi driver was discovered with an alcohol level 16 times over the legal limit.
The MEC expressed his gratitude to KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane for deploying health professionals responsible for managing blood tests in these ongoing efforts to enhance road safety.