Five people died in another accident on the R61 road between Ngcobo and Cofimvaba, pushing the total number of deaths on that road to 22 since December 6.According to authorities, the accident happened about 8pm on Wednesday near Qhumanco about 20km from Ngcobo.
“Seven others were left injured and taken to All Saints Hospital in Ngcobo. Three vehicles collided resulting in the death of the five people,” said provincial transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca.
Health department spokesman Siyanda Manana said five people were treated and discharged while two others were transferred to Nelson Mandela Central Hospital.
Engcobo mayor Lamla Jiyose sent condolences to the bereaved families. He said the accident victims were going to Ngqarhu village. Three of them were family members.
The mayor raised concern over the high number of accidents on the R61 road, saying it was caused by the narrow road and negligent driving.
This was the fourth fatal crash on the narrow and dangerous R61 between Cofimvaba and Mthatha since December 6.
Between three and nine people died in each of the crashes on the stretch of road between Qhumanco near Ngcobo and Kwadosi near Mthatha.
The R61, which runs from Mthatha to Ngcobo and to Qhumanco, is considered very dangerous. An accident is recorded almost every month, sometimes fatal.
The road is not only narrow but also has stray domestic animals such as horses, cattle, donkeys and sheep.
Road rangers do patrols, but their work is complicated by the fact that there is no fencing along the road due to theft.
Kumbaca said: “Stray animals do not eat fence but grass, so the fencing is stolen by members of communities along the road and then expose motorist and their animals to danger.
“But the rate of accidents caused by stray animals is no longer so high since we have an intervention of rangers and reflecting neckbands for animals.”
Kumbaca said the R61 was one of three accident-prone roads in the Eastern Cape.
“We still have the N2 as the most dangerous road.”
He blamed accidents on speeding, disregard for road regulations, impatience and fatigue.
“We have drivers who overtake anywhere anytime even if it is not safe to do so,” he said.
“Since there are stop-and-go’s on the R61 road, some motorists speed in order to catch up the time lost when they stop for the roadworks and in the process cause horrific accidents,” said Kumbaca. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Fourth crash on dangerous R61 claims further five lives
According to authorities, the accident happened about 8pm on Wednesday near Qhumanco about 20km from Ngcobo.
“Seven others were left injured and taken to All Saints Hospital in Ngcobo. Three vehicles collided resulting in the death of the five people,” said provincial transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca.
Health department spokesman Siyanda Manana said five people were treated and discharged while two others were transferred to Nelson Mandela Central Hospital.
Engcobo mayor Lamla Jiyose sent condolences to the bereaved families. He said the accident victims were going to Ngqarhu village. Three of them were family members.
The mayor raised concern over the high number of accidents on the R61 road, saying it was caused by the narrow road and negligent driving.
This was the fourth fatal crash on the narrow and dangerous R61 between Cofimvaba and Mthatha since December 6.
Between three and nine people died in each of the crashes on the stretch of road between Qhumanco near Ngcobo and Kwadosi near Mthatha.
The R61, which runs from Mthatha to Ngcobo and to Qhumanco, is considered very dangerous. An accident is recorded almost every month, sometimes fatal.
The road is not only narrow but also has stray domestic animals such as horses, cattle, donkeys and sheep.
Road rangers do patrols, but their work is complicated by the fact that there is no fencing along the road due to theft.
Kumbaca said: “Stray animals do not eat fence but grass, so the fencing is stolen by members of communities along the road and then expose motorist and their animals to danger.
“But the rate of accidents caused by stray animals is no longer so high since we have an intervention of rangers and reflecting neckbands for animals.”
Kumbaca said the R61 was one of three accident-prone roads in the Eastern Cape.
“We still have the N2 as the most dangerous road.”
He blamed accidents on speeding, disregard for road regulations, impatience and fatigue.
“We have drivers who overtake anywhere anytime even if it is not safe to do so,” he said.
“Since there are stop-and-go’s on the R61 road, some motorists speed in order to catch up the time lost when they stop for the roadworks and in the process cause horrific accidents,” said Kumbaca. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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