Durban - A man riding a motorcycle, believed to be in his sixties, died at the scene of a collision involving two trucks before the M41 off-ramp near uMhlanga north of Durban on Tuesday.
This comes after the driver of an articulated truck slammed into 49 vehicles on the M41 near uMhlanga, injuring at least 16 people on Monday.
ALS Paramedics Medical Services spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said paramedics attended the scene of a horrific multi-vehicle collision before the Gateway offramp on the N2 north-bound.
“Paramedics arrived on the scene to find that two trucks and a motorcycle had collided on the national route before both veered off the road coming to rest on the side of the road,” he said.
Jamieson said the driver of the motorcycle was entrapped under one of the heavy duty trucks and the eThekwini Fire Department were working to free him.
“The driver of the motorbike, a male, believed to be in his sixties, has been declared deceased at the scene by paramedics. The Durban Fire Department is standing by for the assistance of a heavy duty tow truck to assist in freeing the biker’s body,” he said.
He said a further two people sustained moderate injuries and were stabilised on scene by Advanced Life Support paramedics before they were transported through to a nearby hospital for the further care.
Jamison said traffic is severely affected and backlogged and he advised motorists to avoid the area.
Speaking following Monday’s mass accident, MEC for Transport, Community Safety, and Liaison, Sipho Hlomuka, expressed concerns at the alarming rate of truck accidents on KZN roads. The department confirmed that 49 vehicles were involved in the accident.
The MEC said there was a growing challenge with the behaviour of tipper truck drivers in areas such as N2 uPhongolo and N2 Richards Bay.
“We will continue engaging with the freight and logistics sector to adhere to the laws," said Hlomuka.
The department appealed to motorists to be extra vigilant on the road.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old driver of the truck in Monday morning’s accident, who allegedly abandoned his vehicle after the crash, handed himself over to police on Monday night.
“Durban North police are investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving. The 23-year-old suspect handed himself in to the police last night, he will be appearing before court soon,” said KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo.
