EASTERN CAPE - FESTIVE ROAD DEATH TOLL RISES UP TO 149 ALREADY

The death toll on on Eastern Cape roads since the start of the festive season on December 1 has climbed to 149.

The last 24 hours alone claimed seven lives in two separate accidents on the R346 between King William’s Town and Stutterheim.

The second accident happened in the early hours of yesterday and claimed the five lives.

KWT police spokeswoman Lieutenant Siphokazi Mawisa said police were investigating two cases of culpable homicide.

“Three Toyotas – a Corolla, a RAV4 and a Condor – were in the first accident. A woman passenger and male driver died on the scene.

“Another driver was injured and had to be taken to hospital. Other people from the third vehicle were not injured.”

Yesterday, several emergency rescue units, assisted by villagers, spent hours trying to retrieve the body of a man trapped inside a mangled car at the bottom of a 100m cliff in Ngqeleni.

The victim is Vizicelo Makhitshini, 29, from Mthokwana, less than 15km from the accident site in Mathaya village.

It is believe he had tried to kickstart his bakkie when he lost control and went over the cliff edge, less than 100m from one of the homesteads he had been visiting according to his distraught cousin, Mbuyiselo Magxala.

He said the incident took place around 5pm on Tuesday but by the time an emergency team reached him it was already too dark to work.

When the Dispatch arrived at the scene yesterday, OR Tambo air rescue workers, Mthatha police K9 officers, other fire and rescue workers and villagers were all trying to lift the body from the bottom of the cliff to an ambulance waiting at the top.

Recovery workers had to use ropes to get down the steep incline and then up again with the body.

Eastern Cape transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said all the road deaths happened from 100 fatal accidents.

He said most of the fatalities happened on the N9 between Middelburg and Graaff-Reinet and between Ngcobo and Mthatha.

VIA - dispatchlive.co.za