An unnamed passenger who was thrown right off the Kei Bridge by the impact of a horror smash on Tuesday evening is being treated for broken bones.
He and another victim suffered injuries when their sedan, which was apparently carrying freshly slaughtered sheep carcasses, hit the bridge railing and spun into the bakkie driven by Mthatha district traffic chief Vuyisile Magangana.
Magangana said a man was thrown from the backseat of the sedan, and fell metres before landing in bush.
“He broke bones and tore muscles and was rescued by paramedics.”
Magangana, a traffic official of 33 years, escaped unscathed while his wife Nonceba suffered minor bruises caused by safety belt friction.
Both injured passengers were in the sedan, said Magangana.
Magangana said he was driving from East London to Mthatha with his 52-year-old wife, when the oncoming sedan hit the guardrail before being T-boned by his bakkie.
“We all survived by God’s grace, but I’m just taking my wife for a checkup because the safety belt caused minor bruises to her chest.”
Magangana said he tramped his brakes, but it was too late. “The driver of the Mazda told the police that he lost control after he tried avoiding hitting something. But what I saw was him hitting the barrier on the left and spinning fast towards me. That’s when I crashed into them.”
He said safety belts played a key role in saving three lives. “I can safely say the passenger who was thrown in the river was not wearing the safety belt.”
Magangana joined the district office in 2013 after serving as a principal officer in Port St Johns.
King Sabata Dalindyebo safety and security portfolio chairman, Tshepo Machaea, said one of the victims said the sedan was crossing the bridge while loaded with an unknown number of freshly slaughtered sheep carcasses.
Machaea said the second victim was trapped in the car.
Man falls off bridge after accident
He and another victim suffered injuries when their sedan, which was apparently carrying freshly slaughtered sheep carcasses, hit the bridge railing and spun into the bakkie driven by Mthatha district traffic chief Vuyisile Magangana.
Magangana said a man was thrown from the backseat of the sedan, and fell metres before landing in bush.
“He broke bones and tore muscles and was rescued by paramedics.”
Magangana, a traffic official of 33 years, escaped unscathed while his wife Nonceba suffered minor bruises caused by safety belt friction.
Both injured passengers were in the sedan, said Magangana.
Magangana said he was driving from East London to Mthatha with his 52-year-old wife, when the oncoming sedan hit the guardrail before being T-boned by his bakkie.
“We all survived by God’s grace, but I’m just taking my wife for a checkup because the safety belt caused minor bruises to her chest.”
Magangana said he tramped his brakes, but it was too late. “The driver of the Mazda told the police that he lost control after he tried avoiding hitting something. But what I saw was him hitting the barrier on the left and spinning fast towards me. That’s when I crashed into them.”
He said safety belts played a key role in saving three lives. “I can safely say the passenger who was thrown in the river was not wearing the safety belt.”
Magangana joined the district office in 2013 after serving as a principal officer in Port St Johns.
King Sabata Dalindyebo safety and security portfolio chairman, Tshepo Machaea, said one of the victims said the sedan was crossing the bridge while loaded with an unknown number of freshly slaughtered sheep carcasses.
Machaea said the second victim was trapped in the car.
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