Gauteng roads claim four lives and leave 14 injured in a space of 36 hours

IT’S BEEN a weekend of carnage on Gauteng roads following two accidents that left four people dead and 14 others injured in a space of 36 hours.

Last night a man was killed and ten others injured when a bakkie and light motor vehicle collided head-on on the Welverdiend Road in Carletonville.

ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said that when paramedics arrived on the scene, they found both the bakkie and light motor vehicle lying on the opposite sides of the road.

“Upon closer inspection, paramedics found two men lying inside the bakkie while several others were found lying around the scene.

“Paramedics assessed the patients and found that the driver of the bakkie had already succumbed to his multiple, fatal injuries. Nothing could be done for the man and he was declared dead on the scene,” Meiring explained

He said that the passenger from the bakkie was then assessed and found to be in a critical condition. 

“The remaining nine patients were found to have sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate.

“Paramedics treated the patients and provided the critically injured man with advanced life support interventions. Once treated, the critically injured man was airlifted by a private medical helicopter to a nearby hospital while the remaining patients were transported by ambulance.

The cause of the collision is not yet known but local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.

Early yesterday morning, three men were killed and four others injured when three vehicles collided on Bank Road, approximately 9km outside of Carletonville.

Paramedics found the three vehicles all across the scene. 

“Four men were found walking around on the scene while three other men were found lying inside their vehicles. 

“Upon closer inspection, paramedics discovered that the three men lying in the vehicles had all sustained numerous, fatal injuries,” Meiring said.

“Unfortunately, nothing could be done for them and they were declared dead on the scene. 

“The four other men were assessed and found to have sustained injuries ranging from minor to critical,” he said.

Meiring added that once treated, the critically injured patients was airlifted by a private medical helicopter to a nearby hospital while the remaining patients were transported by ambulance. 

The cause of the collision is not yet known but local authorities were on scene for further investigations. 

In a separate incident in Delmas in Mpumalanga, four people were injured, one critically, when they fell off the back of a moving bakkie at the R50 and R25 intersection.

It’s believed that the driver of the bakkie swerved to avoid a vehicle when he lost control, throwing the passengers off the back.

Meiring said that paramedics arrived to find the four patients lying on the side of the road while the bakkie they were travelling in had come to a stop on the opposite side of the road.

“The patients were assessed and it was found that one of them, a 16-year-old boy, had sustained numerous injuries and was in a critical condition. 

“The other three patients were found to have sustained moderate injuries,” he said.

Meiring said the patients were treated and the critically injured patient provided with advanced life support interventions.

“Once treated, the patients were transported to Tambo Memorial Hospital for further treatment. 

Local authorities were on scene for further investigations.

Meanwhile an overnight blitz led to the arrest of 31 people for drug possession and drinking and driving, the recovery of a hijacked vehicle and four clubs being shut down in Kempton Park over Saturday night and into Sunday morning.

Together police and the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) also raided several brothels where “the ladies of the night ran to evade arrest” while identified hotspots including the Rhodesfield park and Dries Niemandt stadium were closely monitored.

“Clubs which contravene their permit conditions by operating until 6am were instructed to close at 2am sharp,” said EMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago (corr)

“Four clubs were shut down for license transgressions and twelve more were given written warnings for unacceptable levels of noise which will be soon followed up with the assistance of Environmental Health department officials.

“Arrests were also made with suspects apprehended for drug possession, hijacked vehicle, for drinking and driving, for drinking in public and for hampering the police in the execution of their lawful duties,” Kgasago said.

He added that intelligence gathered had pointed to drugs and abuse of liquor during the weekends has contribute greatly in the crimes committed. 

“It has also emerged that there are groups of thugs who take advantage of inebriated patrons leaving clubs robbing them of their valuables. 

“The high visibility patrols coupled with roving road-side checks and stop-and-searches of both pedestrians and vehicles greatly alleviated this crime,” Kgasago concluded.

@Lanc_02