Residents of the relatively quiet and traditional village were shocked by wailings and flashes of red and blue lights from the police vehicles and ambulances at the scene of the accident about three kilometers outside the village.
“It was tense and scary as the police struggled with cutting torches to rescue the trapped body from what remained of a truck that was damaged beyond repair,” said Tsietsi Solomon, who went to the scene of the accident just after it occurred.
Solomon said there was an explosion that was followed by cries of human beings in desperation.
“There was blood all over the scene, and we could see that the accident was very bad as the five-ton truck that collided with a bus was reduced to a scrap,” he said.
He said what he saw at the scene suggested that one of the two vehicles must have been moving very fast. “ Scrap metals from the truck were spread all over and actually nothing remained of the truck. At least, the bus was badly damaged on one side only.”
Solomon witnessed faces of pain and suffering. “They screamed, and shouted for help as the police worked hard to save lives”.
Mahalapye police station commander, Superintendent Alakanani Makobo told Mmegi that six people died, and 16 passengers sustained serious injuries. The police estimate that the accident could have occurred at around 9. 00 pm. The six were certified dead on arrival at the Mahalapye hospital. The rest of the passengers were treated and discharged with minor injuries.
“Our initial investigations show that the bus hit a cow and apparently lost control before it collided with an oncoming truck which was going in the opposite direction,” explained Makobo.
He was worried that his area of command has now become a death trap. “Fatal accidents are on the increase in this area and we are worried that more and more people continue to lose their lives on the A-1,” he said.
The police chief estimated that already they have recorded about 18 fatal accidents. Last week, a private vehicle transporting a corpse collided with another motor vehicle near the Tropic of Capricorn killing one person instantly. He indicated that there are several factors contributing to the accidents in his area. “Drivers are generally impatient on the road and have a tendency of over-speeding. They (drivers) should change their attitude on the road and save more lives,” he appealed.
Another villager recalled that a short distance from the accident scene, a passenger train derailed and killed people. “This area must be haunted,” he suggested.
The Mmegi team arrived at the scene of the accident when towing companies were preparing to tow the bus and the remains of the truck away. Some villagers skinned the cow that allegedly contributed to the accident. Makobo confirmed that the owner of the cow had been identified, and charged for leaving his cattle to stray onto the road. He has been fined P1 000.
At the Mahalapye police station, relatives and friends of the passengers streamed into the station to establish the fate of their loved ones.
Bhagat Singh, the general manager of the Rising Sun (Pty) Ltd, the company that owned the truck, told Mmegi that the accident occurred whilst the driver was transporting a consignment of track-suits bound for the United States. The company is based in Selebi-Phikwe and manufactures jeans, and tracksuits. He indicated that the consignment was part of other goods already delivered in other trucks.
“Our driver, who is from Mahalapye, met his death a few kilometers before reaching his home village. Before this truck, two others had already delivered. Now, we will not be able to make the supply due to shortage necessitated by the accident.”
The managing director of the company, Danhui Yu, said the death was “a terrible double loss”. He estimated that they could have lost P400, 000 following the accident.
