Durban - The driver of an articulated truck appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for the multi-vehicle accident on the M41 near uMhlanga north of Durban which involved 49 vehicles and at least 16 people were injured.
Sithulile Zulu, 22, handed himself over to police on Monday night, hours after he allegedly fled the scene of the accident.
“Zulu is charged with reckless and negligent driving and failure to comply with the duties of a driver following an accident,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara.
Ramkisson-Kara said the matter was remanded to March 15, 2023 for the bail information.
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport spokesperson, Kwanele Ncalane, said in a Mercury report on Wednesday that Zulu made the right decision in handing himself over and taking responsibility for his actions.
“We are of the view that the owner of the truck must also come forward and take full responsibility. We have been vocal about road compliance, which includes trucks being checked if they are roadworthy, and we are still monitoring the situation.
“We want everyone who was found to have broken the law to be arrested,” he said.
Transport MEC Sipho Hlomuka said the accident was unnecessary and could have been avoided.
“We have ordered an investigation so that those responsible could be held accountable. As a government, we have a targeted programme focusing on trucks,” he said.
Road Freight Association CEO Gavin Kelly on Tuesday called on authorities to take urgent action against non-compliant road users.
“Those transporters (or any road user) who choose to be non-compliant (roadworthy/dangerous vehicles and/ or badly skilled drivers) need to be held liable and culpable. They also need to be removed from the road.
“In addition, the road where the crash occurred was congested for a while. South Africa cannot afford this. It is time local and provincial authorities clamped down on all unroadworthy vehicles, reckless and negligent driving, and those who use our roads selfishly and illegally,” he said.
KZN Department of Health spokesperson Agiza Hlongwane said they had not received any reports regarding those who had been injured and said patients had a right to privacy.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, a man believed to be in his sixties, who was riding a motorcycle, died at the scene of a collision involving two trucks before the M41 off-ramp near uMhlanga.