Two teachers were killed and five were injured when a taxi left the N2, skidded and rolled in morning traffic near Gonubie yesterday.
Provincial traffic spokesman Tshepo Machaea said the man and woman who died, and the five injured, were teachers who caught the taxi in East London and headed for schools in Gonubie and Chintsa areas.
No names were released.
The accident happened shortly before 7.30am, roughly the same time as Monday’s N2 crash in which a schoolchild died near Vincent.
Hundreds of cars were backed up on the N2 and Gonubie Main Road as traffic police took control of the scene and emergency rescue staff treated passengers and driver, most of whom were thrown from the rolling Mahindra Xylo.
Bodies lay scattered about the N2.
One of the passengers who died was flung off the N2 and landed 4m away in dense bush.
Two long, thick, black, straight skid lines told a story of how the taxi left the road as it entered a left-leaning bend in the dip between the Beacon Bay and Gonubie off-ramps.
The seven-seater then careened across the grassy middle island, smashed down a cattle fence and started rolling.
It came to land on the opposite side of the N2 in the face of East London-bound rush hour traffic.
Quick work from a host of traffic, fire, police and health officials who raced to the site led to the N2 being closed, and the five adults who suffered broken limbs and internal injuries being stabilised and rushed to hospitals.
Traffic was allowed to bypass the crash scene by driving on the island grass but one driver of a tip truck, who inexplicably did a three-point turn and started driving back up the N2 into oncoming traffic, was chased by a traffic officer and stopped.
Police spokesman Captain Steven Marais said police had opened a culpable homicide docket and were investigating “varying versions and allegations” – one being that a truck suddenly veered out of the slow lane, forcing the taxi driver – who was in the faster lane on the right – off the road.
Another allegation was that a red car had stopped on the N2, causing the taxi driver to swerve off the road.
Marais said this information would inform their investigation.
The Dispatch saw an official rolling a bashed-looking tyre towards a vehicle and overheard the comment: “This will prove if there was a blowout or not.”
Machaea said the skid marks and impact damage showed that the taxi had gone from one side of the road to the other, which “leaves much to be desired”.
“We are deeply concerned about driving on the N2.
“Drivers must take responsibility and adhere to the road regulations, especially when it comes to speed.”
The Eastern Cape government was making contact with families of the dead and injured, and transport MEC Weziwe Tikana sent messages of condolence and best wishes to the families of the victims, Machaea said. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
2 killed, 5 hurt in N2 taxi accident
Provincial traffic spokesman Tshepo Machaea said the man and woman who died, and the five injured, were teachers who caught the taxi in East London and headed for schools in Gonubie and Chintsa areas.
No names were released.
The accident happened shortly before 7.30am, roughly the same time as Monday’s N2 crash in which a schoolchild died near Vincent.
Hundreds of cars were backed up on the N2 and Gonubie Main Road as traffic police took control of the scene and emergency rescue staff treated passengers and driver, most of whom were thrown from the rolling Mahindra Xylo.
Bodies lay scattered about the N2.
One of the passengers who died was flung off the N2 and landed 4m away in dense bush.
Two long, thick, black, straight skid lines told a story of how the taxi left the road as it entered a left-leaning bend in the dip between the Beacon Bay and Gonubie off-ramps.
The seven-seater then careened across the grassy middle island, smashed down a cattle fence and started rolling.
It came to land on the opposite side of the N2 in the face of East London-bound rush hour traffic.
Quick work from a host of traffic, fire, police and health officials who raced to the site led to the N2 being closed, and the five adults who suffered broken limbs and internal injuries being stabilised and rushed to hospitals.
Traffic was allowed to bypass the crash scene by driving on the island grass but one driver of a tip truck, who inexplicably did a three-point turn and started driving back up the N2 into oncoming traffic, was chased by a traffic officer and stopped.
Police spokesman Captain Steven Marais said police had opened a culpable homicide docket and were investigating “varying versions and allegations” – one being that a truck suddenly veered out of the slow lane, forcing the taxi driver – who was in the faster lane on the right – off the road.
Another allegation was that a red car had stopped on the N2, causing the taxi driver to swerve off the road.
Marais said this information would inform their investigation.
The Dispatch saw an official rolling a bashed-looking tyre towards a vehicle and overheard the comment: “This will prove if there was a blowout or not.”
Machaea said the skid marks and impact damage showed that the taxi had gone from one side of the road to the other, which “leaves much to be desired”.
“We are deeply concerned about driving on the N2.
“Drivers must take responsibility and adhere to the road regulations, especially when it comes to speed.”
The Eastern Cape government was making contact with families of the dead and injured, and transport MEC Weziwe Tikana sent messages of condolence and best wishes to the families of the victims, Machaea said. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
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