‘We saw body parts all over’

Published Aug 18, 2015

Share

Durban - Witnesses to the horror crash, which claimed 16 lives on the North Coast, have told of scenes of carnage and despair as they watched a minibus taxi careen off the road and land on a rail track before being smashed by a passenger train on Monday.

KwaDukuza mayor Riccardo Mthembu said on Tuesday that most of the dead worked at the Zimbali Estate.

“By the time we left the accident scene at about midnight, no one had been identified. We will meet the community this morning and hopefully all will be identified.

Five people, including the taxi conductor, were taken to hospital, where one person died on Tuesday morning.

The KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) said on Tuesday the taxi was overloaded.

“It was only certified to carry 16 people, including the driver and the conductor. It was overloaded by four (people),” spokeswoman Zinhle Mngomezulu said.

 

All the victims were from the minibus taxi and there were no injuries from the train.

Mngomezulu said that the conductor had already been interviewed by investigators.

“He said the driver was screaming to say ‘Haibo, the vehicle doesn’t have brakes’,” she said.

She said that the conductor’s allegation of failed brakes would have to be investigated.

Train services between Durban and KwaDukuza resumed on Tuesday.

Dumi Nomnganga, spokesman for KwaZulu-Natal Metrorail, said the train driver had said the taxi landed in front of the train on the rail line and it was dragged for some distance.

“Trains don’t have a dead stop on braking so unfortunately the taxi was dragged. This is the second accident on the same spot in as many years.”

Sometime last year, a taxi crashed on to the rail line at the same spot, killing six people.

The taxi, on its way to Groutville from Zimbali, appeared to have been driving on the on-ramp to the N2 near Shaka’s Head at about 4pm.

 

Siphiwe Mthiyane was in the train on his way home to Groutville when the crash occurred.

“I heard a huge noise that went boom! I thought the cables above the train had snapped. I then felt the train moving from side to side as if it was going to go off the rails,” he said.

Mthiyane, 20, said the train then stopped and the passengers got out.

“We saw body parts all over. There was a lady who was wearing a white T-shirt and a red dress. I was not sure if the dress was naturally red or if it was because of the blood. She had her hands up in the air crying for help as both her legs were injured.”

He said some passengers went to help the woman, but he did not go because he was scared.

When the Daily News arrived, hundreds of onlookers had gathered to watch the rescue workers and paramedics tending to the dead and injured.

Others had come to see if any of their relatives had been involved in the accident.

A number of boys told the Daily News they had been playing football when they saw the taxi going down the embankment.

IPSS Medical Rescue paramedic, Danelle Hefers, described the incident as “very bad”.

Hefers, among the first medical personnel to arrive, said: “When we arrived we saw multiple people lying on the the ground and not moving.”

She said that initially they had counted 13 dead.

However, later on Monday night the death toll was put at 15 by authorities.

“This was really hectic. When the taxi went over it was flattened,” said Hefers.

She and fellow paramedic, Shaun Hill, called for assistance as they tried to help people and covered up those who had already died because “it is traumatising for the bystanders”.

Makhosazane Dlamini, a resident of nearby Ndwedwe who was on the scene, said when she heard of the crash she hurried over to see if her sister was there.

She was relieved to learn her sister was safe, but others were still waiting to find out about their loved ones.

Another person in the crowd was searching for news of a loved one, but was told by police they could not come closer because rescue personnel were still busy.

He said they were instructed to go to the police station on Tuesday.

Transport spokesman, Kwanele Ncalane, said MEC Willies Mchunu had ordered a team of investigators from the Road Traffic Inspectorate to go to the scene and investigate.

Daily News

Related Topics: