Durban - A taxi driver who is charged with culpable homicide in connection with the death of Olympic cyclist Burry Stander was emotional, “crying and could barely speak” after the crash.
This was heard during the trial of Njabulo Nyawose in the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Nyawose pleaded not guilty to a charge of culpable homicide in connection with the January 2013 accident near Shelly Beach.
Stander, who had been cycling in Marine Drive towards Port Shepstone from Shelly Beach, died when his bicycle hit Nyawose’s taxi.
The taxi had been travelling south in Marine Drive when it allegedly moved into the northbound lane and turned right into Stott Street.
It is alleged that Nyawose turned illegally over a solid barrier line.
On Thursday witness Reggie Govender, who testified for the defence, said Nyawose was “very emotional”.
“I was one of the first on the scene. I went up to the accused (Nyawose) and I asked him what happened. He could not really speak. He was just crying and crying. He was quite emotional.”
Govender testified he saw Stander briefly before Nyawose’s taxi turned and then he saw Stander’s bike hit the front passenger side door of the taxi.
He also said he witnessed Nyawose being verbally abused afterwards.
“A white man walked up to the deceased and looked emotional. He came up to the accused and grabbed him by the shirt and was using abusive language. I told the man to calm down.”
During cross-examination by prosecutor Christelle Rossouw, Govender said he did not know whether Nyawose saw Stander before the crash.
“I did not see the cyclist at first because there were two cars coming from Shelly Beach (northbound) and he was parallel to them. I only saw the cyclist just before the taxi turned into Stott Street.”
Earlier in the trial, State witness Craig Proctor-Parker, an accident reconstruction specialist, testified that he had concluded that Stander had right of way when the taxi turned illegally into his path.
Nyawose is due to testify on Friday.
The Mercury