FIVE drivers and their passengers escaped death after a truck full of sand lost control on a busy road in Inanda north of Durban.
Two fully loaded taxis and three vehicles rear-ended each other after the truck ploughed into them on Wednesday.
One of the taxi drivers, Nkosinathi Nxumalo (29), told Daily Sun that he heard that the truck’s brakes failed and its driver lost control.
“We were driving in the same direction as the truck when it lost control, veered off the road and overturned.
“I have been driving for years now but I’ve never seen anything like that.”
He said when he saw that the truck was not stopping he tried to drive faster to escape.
“But everything happened so fast. I heard another car bump into my taxi and then my taxi just came to a standstill.”
He said the truck hit five cars before losing control and overturning.
“Within the blink of an eye after the truck lost control it swerved off the road and overturned.
“My mind stopped for a while because my taxi was loaded with passengers,” said Nxumalo.
Colonel Thembeka Mbhele, KZN police spokeswoman, confirmed that a truck driver lost control of his vehicle and collided with five cars.
“The truck overturned on the side of the road and the driver and passenger sustained injuries. A case of reckless or negligent driving was opened at Inanda cop shop for investigation.”
  • Meanwhile, on Thursday three families witnessed scores of people in a bus screaming for help when a bus lost control and crashed into three houses in Newlands West, north of Durban.
More than 20 people were injured when the fully loaded bus tried to overtake a taxi but lost control and collided with another taxi in an oncoming traffic lane.
Thirushni Pillay (25) said he witnessed the accident.
“The bus driver tried to flee from the scene but forgot to pull up the hand brake, which resulted in the bus crashing into a house.”