Pretoria – Following a spate of fatal crashes involving heavy vehicles on roads in different parts of South Africa, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has “strongly” warned truck owners that they could be held liable for the negligent conduct of their drivers.
“Truck owners are further warned that they could lose the right to operate on national roads, which would have dire consequences for their businesses,” said RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane.
The warning followed a “shocking” truck crash on R34 near Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday.
“The crash allegedly happened when a truck driver failed to stop at the scene of a crash. He collided with six other vehicles - four trucks, one SUV and one light delivery vehicle at the scene, causing them to explode into a ball of fire. Two people were injured,” said Zwane.
He said a video of the crash was circulated widely on social media and has caused a public outcry.
This collision followed another truck crash which claimed 20 lives in Pongola last week Friday.
“The National Traffic Act imposes a duty on truck operators to conduct their business ‘with due care to the safety of the public’. It further states that ‘the operator of a vehicle shall exercise proper control over the driver of such a motor vehicle to ensure compliance by such driver with all relevant provisions of this Act’,” said Zwane.
“Failure by operators to properly carry out their responsibilities as imposed by the Act lead to conviction and sentence.”
Two people were injured in two separate accidents in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Monday morning.
Spokesperson for KZN Emergency Medical Services, Robert McKenzie, initially said a truck had overturned on the R66/R34 road near Ulundi.
"A subsequent second crash involving a truck which crashed into the scene has resulted in two people sustaining injuries,” McKenzie said.
“Amazingly, there were no fatalities as a result of the collision, which left four vehicles burning. The circumstances resulting in the crashes will be investigated by police," he said.
Meanwhile, 28-year-old Sibusiso Siyaya has been charged with 21 counts of culpable homicide following a horror crash in Pongola that claimed the lives of 19 children and two adults.
KZN spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, said Siyaya appeared in the Pongola Magistrate's Court and is due back on September 26 for a bail application. The children were seated at the back of a bakkie and were believed to have been on their way home when the crash occurred.
IOL