MPUMALANGA – Five people have tragically lost their lives in a horrific multiple-vehicle crash on the N2 Road between Ermelo and Mkhondo (formerly Piet Retief) near Ngwempisi, after a driver fleeing from law enforcement caused a devastating collision.
The incident occurred on Friday and involved two sedans, a taxi pulling a trailer, and a truck. The driver of a Toyota Corolla, attempting to evade authorities, is alleged to have been travelling at an excessive speed of over 170km/h.
Moeti Mmusi, spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, explained to IOL that the Corolla driver "apparently had failed to stop when he was signaled by law enforcement officers, and subsequently he collided with another vehicle, a seven-seater Toyota multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that was loaded with eight people on the same road."
According to Mmusi, the speeding Corolla driver, who was alone in his vehicle, seemingly lost control before colliding with the Toyota MPV and subsequently the truck. While the occupants of the MPV sustained catastrophic injuries, the Corolla driver remarkably escaped without injury and was promptly arrested at the scene.
"Five people, including the driver of the Toyota MPV, lost their lives, and three survivors were rushed to the hospital," Mmusi confirmed. The deceased were all occupants of the Toyota MPV, which was carrying eight people at the time of the crash.
The driver of the Toyota Corolla sedan was arrested and initially charged "with excessive speeding, failure to stop when ordered to stop by law enforcers, and for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol."
However, in a surprising turn of events, the driver has since been granted bail by police. Mmusi told IOL that the unidentified driver was released from the Ermelo police station after posting R1,000 bail.
"He was released on a R1,000 bail by the police. His main charge is failure to stop when directed by officials, reckless and negligent driving, inconsiderate driving, and also driving under the influence of alcohol," Mmusi stated.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision is currently underway. Police are working to piece together the events leading up to the crash and determine the full extent of the driver's culpability.
Meanwhile, Jackie Macie, Mpumalanga’s MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, has issued a strong appeal to motorists to exercise responsibility on the roads, emphasizing the urgent need to curb "needless loss of lives."
Macie also cautioned motorists to respect the rules of the road and the rights of other road users. "Too many tears have been shed already and too many families have been left devastated by inconsiderate, reckless and negligent driver behaviour, and this needs to stop. All road users must play their part by obeying the rules to make our roads safer," the MEC stated.
Macie has extended her heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in this tragic incident.
The MEC further explained that traffic volumes have increased on many major routes in Mpumalanga ahead of the June 16th long weekend. Law enforcement officers are conducting stop and search operations to ensure that motorists drive with caution and adhere to traffic laws.
"Motorists have been urged to be cautious on the roads to ensure they arrive alive to their destinations. Road blocks, as well as stop and search operations have been intensified in major roads in the Province ahead of this long weekend. Traffic volumes started increasing on Friday afternoon as motorists were heading to different destinations. Roads such as the R40, N11, N4 and N17 are amongst the busiest," Macie said.
She also noted that several arrests have already been made. "We have already arrested three motorists for different offences. We intensified our programme to make sure that with this long weekend our people are safe on our roads," Macie added.
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