Two people have died after a 1400 Nissan bakkie collided with a Honda SUV vehicle on the N4, 6km from the Nkomazi toll gate towards Malelane today, 9 January 2011 at 05h15.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of the bakkie who was driving towards Nelspruit lost concentration, swerved to the oncoming vehicle lane and collided head on with the SUV.
Five people who were passengers in the bakkie were seriously injured and were rushed to Rob Ferreira Hospital.
The SUV only came to a halt 400 metres from the collision point. The two occupants escaped with no injuries.
Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe sends condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.
The MEC says fatigue is one of the factors that contribute to drivers losing control then causing accidents.
“We have seen that most drivers drive long distances without resting and as a result they sleep while driving and cause accidents. The department had coordinated a number of rest stops that were aimed at encouraging drivers to rest in order to avoid accidents on the road.
“We encourage drivers to rest after every two hours or 200 kilometres when they are undertaking long trips,” said Shongwe.
Enquiries:
Joseph Mabuza
Tel: 013 766 4055
Cell: 082 678 1450
