On Monday, after a truck led to an enormous pile-up during morning traffic near Umhlanga in the KwaZulu-Natal region, close to 50 vehicles were left across a highway.
No immediate reports of fatalities came from the accident scene, but images and videos of wrecked cars gave the road the appearance of a junkyard.
“Multiple people were left with injuries ranging from minor to moderate, with one pregnant female motorist being left with serious injuries,” private ambulance service Emer-G-Med said in a statement.
The driver is believed to have lost control and smashed into slowing-moving traffic near the M4 freeway onramp.
“Durban North police are investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving. Reports indicate that the driver of the truck has not been located as yet,” says KZN SAPS spokesperson Thenjiswa Ngcobo.
If the tipper truck involved in Monday’s fatal crash in Umhlanga is determined to be unroadworthy, charges will also be made against the owner of the vehicle, according to the KZN Department of Transport.
The claims of complete brake failure will be investigated, according to MEC Sipho Hlomuka.
“Even though trucks are allowed to utilise national highways, they occasionally use our local and provincial delivery services, so it’s best if we can wrap up the investigation quickly. We therefore need to understand the driver’s reasoning for selecting the M41,” he said in a statement.