Durban -
A metro police vehicle which was responding to an emergency at the beachfront was involved in a fatal collision with a taxi in the Durban CBD on Monday.
The taxi driver was killed.
He was among seven people killed on KwaZulu-Natal roads on Monday as thousands of cars flocked to the city from Gauteng. Four metro police officers and 13 passengers were injured in the crash and were taken to hospital.
The collision occurred at the intersection of Dr Pixley KaSeme (West) Street and Qashana Khuzwayo (Shepstone) Road.
Rescue Care Emergency Services spokesman, Garrith Jamieson, said the crash happened just after 4pm.
“Paramedics arrived at the accident scene to find total chaos. Injured people were lying all over the road and sidewalk,” he said. “The driver of the taxi was trapped in the wreckage and had unfortunately passed away before paramedics arrived.
More ambulances were called to assist.”
eThekwini Municipality spokeswoman, Tozi Mthethwa, said the police were responding to an emergency situation at the beachfront.
“The municipality conveys our heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased and wishes all the injured a speedy recovery,” she said.
Metro police spokesman, Eugene Msomi, could not be reached for comment.
A beachgoer who witnessed the police vehicles driving at speed, said there was a fracas around the OR Tambo (Marine) Parade area.
A police source said a police officer had communicated via radio that he was under attack - supposedly from beachgoers.
This was the incident metro police were responding to when they were involved in the collision.
In another incident, KZN Emergency Medical Services spokesman, Robert McKenzie, said four men died when two bakkies crashed on the N11 near Ladysmith.
“Paramedics treated three other patients on the scene. One of the patients was critically injured. The patients have been taken to hospital in Ladysmith,” he said.
In another crash, ER24 spokeswoman Chitra Bodasing said one man died when a motorist lost control of his vehicle.
“It rolled several times and all three occupants were ejected from the vehicle. Paramedics arrived at the scene and found the people lying close to the badly damaged vehicle,” Bodasing said.
One passenger sustained critical head injuries and was admitted to hospital.
“The driver sustained moderate injuries to the neck and abdomen. Paramedics treated the patients and took them to hospital.”
In a separate accident in Pietermaritzburg, a 40-year-old man died when his vehicle swerved off the road and crashed through a fence.
“The man was ejected from the vehicle,” Bodasing said.
“Paramedics, on arrival, found a vehicle about 5 metres off the road on its side.”
Meanwhile, traffic towards KZN is expected to peak, with nearly 2 000 vehicles an hour passing through the tolls tomorrow, according to Con Roux, the N3 Toll Concession spokesman.
Daily News