Durban – The recent truck crashes in KwaZulu-Natal has once again highlighted the need for regulations to be enforced on the country's roads.
This week, IOL reported that one person was killed in a crash on the R34 near Ulundi in northern KZN.
Spokesperson for the Road Traffic Inspectorate, Zinhle Mngomezulu, said the truck suffered brake failure and crashed into four trucks, a bakkie and a minibus.
Mngomezulu said no other injuries were reported.
KZN - R34 Route: #TruckCrash another multi truck crash north of Ulundi - same sort of area as this mornings multi truck crash #TruckCarnage pic.twitter.com/gL1J6GgH1u
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) September 19, 2022
Earlier that same day, two people were injured in two accidents on the same road.
Spokesperson for KZN Emergency Medical Services, Robert McKenzie, initially said a truck had overturned on the R66/R34 road near Ulundi.
“A subsequent second crash involving a truck which crashed into the scene has resulted in two people sustaining injuries,” McKenzie said.
He said there were no fatalities as a result of the collision, which left four vehicles burning.
Last Friday, 20 learners, a teacher and the driver were killed when a truck crashed head on into a fully-laden bakkie in Phongola.
The driver, Sibusiso Siyaya (28) has been charged with culpable homicide and is due back in the Phongola Magistrate’s Court next week for a bail application.
Zululand mayor Rev Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has called for trucks to be banned from travelling in Phongola.
He has called for trucks to only be allowed to travel along the route from 6pm to 6am.
“We need a national strategy to regulate the number of trucks passing through Zululand,” he said.
Buthelezi said the R34 from Vryheid to Richards Bay and the N2 from Phongolo to Richards Bay cannot cope with the number of trucks travelling through the route every hour.
“There is enormous pressure on our road infrastructure and as a result, fatal road accidents have become a daily occurrence,” the mayor said.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation has warned truck companies that they will be held liable for the negligent conduct of their drivers.
“Truck owners are further warned that they could lose the right to operate on national roads which would have dire consequences for their businesses,” said RTMC spokesperson, Simon Zwane.
He added that the National Traffic Act imposes a duty on truck operators to conduct their business “with due care to the safety of the public”.
It further states that “the operator of a vehicle shall exercise proper control over the driver of such a motor vehicle to ensure compliance by such driver with all relevant provisions of this Act”.
“Failure by operators to properly carry out their responsibilities as imposed by the Act lead to conviction and sentence,” Zwane said.
Speaking in her capacity as Acting Premier Nomagugu Simelane said the government was meeting with SA National Roads Agency Limited to look at the expansion of the N2 Phongolo strip.
She said extending the road would be a long project that can take years.
Immediate interventions would be to erect speed humps, increase law enforcement working with provincial RTI and local traffic officers.
“MEC of Transport Sipho Hlomuka will be meeting with Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula and we will put this issue on the agenda.
“We cannot sit and relax while the trucks are terrorising communities and other road users in uPhongolo.
“We will also be meeting with truck companies for them to deal with their drivers who are bullying other roads users,” she said.
IOL