DURBAN – A truck driver is set to spend the festive season behind bars after his bail application was denied in court earlier this week.
Sipho Ntuli, the driver of a truck that ploughed into several vehicles and killed nine people in Jozini in June, appeared in the Ubombo Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
In June, IOL reported the driver of an articulated truck lost control and crashed into five vehicles that included two buses, one minibus taxi, one bakkie and a minivan.
At the time, Robert Mckenzie, spokesperson for the KZN Emergency Medical Services, said paramedics from the public and private sector worked together to treat the injured victims, many of whom sustained serious and critical injuries. Updated reports confirmed that nine people died in the horror crash.
Blood samples taken from Ntuli revealed he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Bheki Ntuli welcomed the court's decision to deny bail.
"We applaud the magistrate’s decision to deny bail for the accused as we believe that releasing the accused on bail would not have been in the interest of justice. The court’s ruling will also send out a strong message to motorists who drive under the influence of alcohol in our province, especially during the festive season, and we believe such drivers should be harshly punished for their reckless behaviour. We commend the dedicated team from Jozini police station who worked tirelessly to build a water-tight case. The progress made to date by the police is evidence of the commitment to serve with integrity and ensure that justice is served," he said.
The MEC said said the province would be stepping up police visibility and law enforcement operations. This would include enhanced policing of transport-related crimes to reduce fatalities as part of the Festive Season Safety Plan and provincial crime-fighting intervention programme titled Operation Vala.
"Excessive alcohol consumption has contributed immensely to bad driver behaviour which leads to reckless driving, traffic violations, road crashes and the increasing road death toll in the province. Therefore, we will continue to clamp down on such crimes during the festive season and beyond. Our enforcement operations will also be targeting heavy vehicles as we have noted a sharp increase in fatal road crashes and accidents in general that involve trucks," Ntuli said.
IOL