A nanny and the four-year-old child she was caring for narrowly escaped death after an out-of-control truck ploughed into her house on Howick Road, Pietermaritzburg, on Tuesday.
The truck, which was speeding down the road, caused mayhem and devastation by colliding with other vehicles before driving through several yards and slamming into a home.
Initial indications indicate that the truck’s brakes failed, causing the crash. However, irate neighbours in the vicinity said that this was a foregone conclusion as errant truck drivers were frequently routed off the N3 to avoid congestion before the mandatory halt at the first arrestor bed.
A passenger inside the truck was declared dead at the scene, whilst the driver sustained critical injuries.
Emergency personnel, including the fire department and paramedics, used the jaws of life to extricate the driver and deceased passenger from the truck’s cab. The driver was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
I was with the child in his room getting him dressed for his mum, who was coming to fetch him. Seconds later, I heard a commotion and then there was this huge crash. “I had no idea the truck had smashed into the house.
“I thought there was a crash on the road, but as I stepped out of the room, I was shocked to see what had actually happened,” said the nanny, as paramedics treated her for shock.
The little boy, also in shock, sat next to his nanny as emergency services and neighbours descended on the home to help. The boy’s parents, who arrived shortly after the accident, hugged the child repeatedly, relieved that he was okay.
According to eyewitness Elana Pessenbacher, who works at a nearby property, the truck was travelling at a high speed as it crashed through their yard. “From my window, I have a clear view of Howick Road.
“I was sitting at my desk when I heard an incredibly loud rumbling noise coming from up the road. I thought it was a typical road accident. The truck passed right in front of me and then crashed through the wall, collided with two cars before crashing into the adjacent home.”
“Remarkably, our premises narrowly escaped damage by a few meters. I estimate the truck’s speed to have exceeded 160 km/h,” recounted Pessenbacher.
Ward councillor Reggie Khanyile, who was present at the site, said the incident had left the community scared.
“We are deeply traumatised by the events that unfolded here today. Regrettably, we have repeatedly raised concerns with the municipality regarding trucks diverting from the highway onto our residential road.
“This poses a significant threat, not only to our infrastructure but also to road users. We’ve just witnessed a truck veer off the road and into a resident’s property. This is what we feared would happen all along.
“Our pleas have fallen on deaf ears within the municipality, and I urgently request the municipal manager to visit the scene and witness the gravity of the issue we’ve been grappling with,” said Khanyile.
He said he has been in constant communication with the municipality in an effort to explore measures to prevent trucks from entering Howick Road.
“We’ve advocated for the continual presence of law enforcement officers and traffic officials at the off-ramp by Peter Brown to deter trucks from accessing our residential area. This longstanding issue demands immediate attention,” added Khanyile.
