Durban - The KwaZulu Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Sipho Hlomuka, offered his condolences to the families of the road traffic officer and breakdown operator who died while attending to an accident scene on Saturday on the N3 near Pietermaritzburg.
Both the road traffic officer and the breakdown operator were trying to assist with an accident, when a secondary truck accident claimed their lives. MEC Hlomuka called on motorists to be extra cautious and work with emergency services at accident scenes.
"Motorists must work and co-operate with emergency services at accident scenes. We shouldn't have lost such a dedicated traffic officer and the breakdown operator.
“The officer was a very dedicated officer who would go beyond the call of duty to save lives on the road. We wish to express our deepest condolences to the family and the family of the breakdown operator," said Hlomuka.
Detailing the events that led up to the tragic deaths, department spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane said the incident happened when a joint emergency response team was responding to an accident, providing crucial pre-warning and assistance at a crash scene.
Ncalane said circumstances took a devastating turn when the brakes of the first truck failed, causing the driver to lose control, and the vehicle overturned.
“Tragically, during this unfolding chaos, our road traffic enforcement officer and the breakdown operator, who were selflessly working to ensure the safety of others, were struck by a second truck.
“This secondary collision further exacerbated the situation as it collided with an overturned tanker,” he said.
He said the driver of the second truck fled the scene.
ALS Paramedics director Garrith Jamieson said an ALS paramedic was also injured during the secondary accident.
“ALS Paramedics staff were attending to the driver who had sustained minor injuries from the original accident. While attending to the driver a truck ploughed into the accident scene and into the personnel on the scene. Unfortunately, there were three casualties injured in the secondary collision,” he said.
Jamieson said the ALS paramedic was in a critical condition and rushed through to a hospital for the specialist care he required.
“Our medic underwent emergency surgery shortly thereafter,” he said. He offered condolences to the family and friends of the traffic officer and breakdown operator.
Ncalane said the investigation into the cause of the accident is currently under way.
“Thedepartment is hugely affected when one traffic officer is lost. This is particularly so because we are engaged in an effort to beef up capacity within the enforcement unit and to turn the situation around.”