Zambian truck driver arrested after N3 highway pile-up near Peacevale leaves 18 injured
A truck driver, who is a Zambian national, has been arrested after a multiple vehicle crash on the N3 near Peacevale on Thursday.
Image: ALS Paramedics Medical Services
A truck driver, who is a Zambian national, has been arrested after a multiple vehicle accident on the N3 highway, Pietermaritzburg-bound near Peacevale.
The arrest was confirmed by KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma.
ALS Paramedics' Garrith Jamieson said one critically injured person had to be airlifted to hospital. He added that 17 others had sustained various injuries ranging from moderate to critical and were also taken to hospital.
In a statement on Thursday afternoon, Duma said the department is relieved that no one died in the crash that disrupted traffic flow for several hours and inconvenienced hundreds of motorists.
“We wish those injured a speedy recovery. I commend our highly dedicated team from Road Traffic Inspectorate who apprehended the truck driver who was trying to run away from the accident scene.
“I have mandated the RTI team to work with the South African Police Service to ensure that there is a successful conviction of this truck driver. Importantly, we want to establish whether he had the relevant documents authorising him to drive.”
Speaking on the bid to ease congestion on the roads by moving more cargo to rail, Duma said the department welcomed the announcement by Minister of Transport Barbra Creecy that the adjudication process to select new Train Operating Companies (TOCs) by Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) had been completed.
He said the department was looking forward to the movement of cargo from road to rail.
“The six new entrants in the North Corridor, will be responsible for 15 routes for the transportation of coal and chrome. We were informed by the minister that the Train Operating Companies will carry an additional 20 million tons of freight per annum from the 2026/27 financial year.
“This means fewer trucks and fewer accidents on our major routes.”
Duma added that there had been several road crashes involving trucks in recent months and several people had lost their lives,
“We reiterate our position as the department that our road networks, which are being constructed, rehabilitated, and repaired, should not be playgrounds for irresponsible drivers. We will come down hard on reckless and irresponsible drivers. In August alone, we arrested more than 160 motorists for drunken driving.”