Cape Town – Thirty-five farm workers in the Western Cape were injured on Monday morning when the truck they were being transported in overturned.
The vehicle was travelling on the R45 between Klapmuts and Simondium near Groot Simonsvlei, transporting workers employed on different farms in the surrounding areas.
According to ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring, their teams and the provincial Metro EMS arrived at the incident site at about 7.30am, where they found the truck on its side on the side of the road.
Numerous farm workers were found seated, with some walking along the roadside.
“Medics assessed the patients and found that one man had serious injuries while 34 others had minor to moderate injuries. Fortunately, no fatalities were found.”
Meiring said the injured people were treated on site and the seriously injured man was provided with advanced life support before being transported to nearby hospital for further medical care.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said an accident report was opened.
The incident has once again ignited calls for stricter regulation over farm worker transport service.
In a statement, Cosatu said the government and farm owners have done nothing to protect the vulnerable farmworkers who must travel every day in dangerous conditions.
“How many people must die before the farmers, provincial and national government are going to intervene to ensure that farmworkers are treated as human beings and transported in safe modes of transport,” Cosatu said.
Anyone with any information about the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 086 0010 111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.
Cape Times