A collision involving a minibus taxi transporting crèche children and two other vehicles on Broadlands Road in Strand caused major traffic delays last Thursday (2 October).
Sergeant Mthokozisi Gama, spokesperson for Lwandle police, said officers responded to the scene at 18:30. He said the driver of a Toyota Quantum was driving on Broadlands Road towards the N2 from Strand, when his vehicle collided with a Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The driver of the Mercedes was apparently slowing down to allow a car in front to turn right, resulting in the taxi hitting her car from behind.
It is alleged that the taxi driver’s speed caused the vehicle to continue forward and scrape an Isuzu bakkie just before the Vulindlela Street intersection in Lwandle.
Gama confirmed that the driver of the Quantum was transporting crèche learners to their homes, when the crash occurred.
He explained that an accident report was filed, but no criminal case has been opened.
Because of the minor severity of the injuries, we will not pursue a case
Gama pointed out.
Onwabisile Rasmeni, the driver of the Mercedes, recounted her experience. The 28-year-old was traveling with her two sons, young daughter and 49-year-old mother from Gordon’s Bay to Lwandle, when she reduced her speed to safely allow a car in front of her to turn right into a nearby business premises.
“I stopped and then felt a bang from behind,” said Rasmeni.
She claimed that the taxi driver allegedly attempted to intimidate her before running off, when confronted by community members.
“My eldest son, who is nine, suffered a head injury and my mother injured her ribs,” she said.
But I am just grateful that nothing worse happened.
Sam Oktober, the 40-year-old Gordon’s Bay resident driving the Isuzu bakkie, was in a state of shock when the taxi driver scraped the driver’s side of his work vehicle. He tried to swerve out of the way, but was sandwiched between a truck leaving the business premises and the speeding scholar transport vehicle.
“This is the first accident I have been involved in during the 20 years that I have been working,” said Oktober.
Both drivers expressed disbelief that the alleged cause of the accident involved someone transporting children from a crèche.
“Owners of crèches need to be careful about who they employ to transport children, because it is very dangerous,” said Oktober.
Rasmeni said:
I am now scared to put my own children in scholar transport, because what if the driver does the same as this one.
Oktober expressed gratitude that the accident did not result in an even worse fate for the children being transported in the taxi.
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