MECs Shongwe and Nhlengethwa visit R40 Crash victims

MECs Shongwe and Nhlengethwa visit R40 Crash victims 

BRIAN KAJENGO

Mpumalanga MECs for Community Safety, Security and Liaison and Public Works, Roads and Transport Mr. Vusi Shongwe and Ms. Dumisile Nhlengethwa have today paid a visit to 40 victims of yesterday’s road crash that claimed 10 lives at three hospitals in Mbombela Municipality. The victims were admitted last night at Themba Hospital in Kabokweni, Robs Ferreira and Medi-Clinic hospitals in Nelspruit. The MECs were accompanied by Mbombela Local Municipality Executive Mayor, Clr. Sibusiso Mathonsi.

The crash happened on the R40 Road towards Hazyview and it occurred when a truck lost control and veered onto the oncoming traffic colliding with a bus and an SUV. All vehicles caught fire and as a result some of the victims sustained serious burns. Six people sustained serious injuries.

MEC Shongwe, who was still visibly upset, wished those who were injured a speedy recovery saying this it was one of the worst accidents that he has seen in recent times. He has further called on the police to urgently finalise the investigations into crash so that necessary steps are taken to avoid the repeat of such crashes in future.

Shongwe was accompanied by the newly appointed Public Works, Roads and Transport MEC, Ms. Goodness Nhlengethwa and Mbombela Local Municipality Executive Mayor, Clr. Sibusiso Mathonsi and other senior government officials.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident and we are once more calling on truck and bus owners to promote road safety at all times by ensuring that their drivers comply with traffic rules at all times, ” the MEC said.  Shongwe has further called on regular training of professional drivers in order to assist government to eliminate road crashes.