KZN Transport MEC Duma: ‘Truck driver just swerved’ before horror head-on R102 crash

KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma said reports indicate that a truck driver allegedly swerved his vehicle prior to a head-on crash with a fully loaded taxi, which has claimed eleven lives.

Duma, speaking on Thursday from the scene of the crash on the R102 near Lotus Park, Isipingo, said: “We are told the driver of the truck just swerved, it might have been for different reasons," adding that the circumstances surrounding the crash would be investigated by the relevant authorities.

He added that the truck driver was in the custody of the police and the truck owner would also be traced.

Duma said he had personally observed that the tyres on the truck were worn.

“The taxi was also overloaded, instead of 15 passengers they had 17 or 18.”

Earlier, ALS Paramedics Garrith Jamieson said the Jaws of Life were employed to extricate the taxi driver during a rescue operation that lasted three hours. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Among the eleven killed was an eleven-year-old child.

Duma said that the families of the deceased were still being located. He said the taxi had been headed to the Illovo area.

He also criticised the sharing of graphic videos from the scene of the crash.

“It is so unfortunate that some people are already sharing glaring videos, that are not okay.”

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