MEDIA STATEMENT

FIVE PEOPLE KILLED IN TAXI CRASH

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Safety and Security Mr. Bheki Cele has ordered a full investigation into today’s road crash involving a taxi which claimed the lives of five people and left fourteen (14) others injured.

Police conducted a full roadworthiness test of the vehicle on scene and preliminary police investigations suggest that the vehicle may have been overloaded and that the driver was allegedly speeding.

The crash occurred at about 12h30 today on the N2 north near the Claire Road Bridge not far from the Pavillion Shopping Complex in Durban whilst the vehicle was on its way from Durban to Ndwedwe. It is alleged that the driver of the taxi lost control of his vehicle, apparently due to speed and the vehicle rammed into the near-by Wandsbeck Informal Settlement. Five occupants from the vehicle, including the driver (3 males and two females) were killed instantly. Fourteen (14) others were injured and were admitted to the Addington and King Edward Hospitals in Durban. The road was completely closed for about half an hour whilst traffic officials and emergency services were busy on the scene.

"We cannot allow innocent passengers to die in this way where drivers and owners blatantly disregard road rules. This is the very reason why we have a dedicated Public Transport Enforcement Unit (PTEU) to specifically deal with passenger-carrying vehicles. We are also calling on passengers to be more responsible and not to board overloaded taxis and those driven by drunk and unlawful drivers," Cele said.

Cele has also expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

Meanwhile, Cele has warned motorists who think that effective traffic law enforcement in KZN only takes place during peak holiday periods to think again.

Cele was responding to three motorists who were caught travelling at maniacal speeds on the N2 near Sezela on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast during the past week-end. They all appeared in the Scottburgh Magistrates Court on Monday and were find R20 000, R18 000 and R13 000 respectively.

Mr WF Du Plessis (38 years) from Edenvale who was driving an Alfa Romeo was caught travelling at 210 kilometres per hour and was fined R20 000.

Mr A Dawood (41 years) from Merebank driving a Mercedes Benz at 192 kilometres per hour was fined R18 000.

Mr SS Numbula (25 years) from Umtata also driving a Mercedes Benz was fined R13 000 for travelling at a speed of 183 kilometres per hour.

"Don’t fool yourself, speed kills. These messages speak out loud and clear. But do they actually hit home any more, or have they become clichés that the motoring public largely ignores? Road safety practitioners emphasize the need for speed reduction as a primary factor in cutting fatalities and serious injuries. Unfortunately, road users often contest these enforcement efforts," Cele said.

"The fact that traffic officers are referred to as "speed cops" is an indication of the perception by drivers that speed offences are targeted because they are an easy source of revenue. What is important is that communities need to understand that the death rate on South Africa’s roads is unacceptable. The pain, suffering and financial costs of crashes can be substantially reduced by a commitment to change behaviour and attitude," said Cele.

"So lift your right foot slightly, and get into the habit of driving more courteously, more slowly and more carefully. You may save your own life. You may save the life of a loved one. You may save the life of somebody else by avoiding a crash altogether. And you will definitely save some precious money to counteract the spiralling fuel costs," Cele said.

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