Angry residents block Durban highway after 3 pupils killed in taxi accident

It’s alleged that the driver of the vehicle skipped a traffic light and rammed into the pupils who are understood to have been making their way to school.

The scene of the accident that claimed the lives of three pupils in Newlands East, Durban on 6 March 2019. Picture: EWN

Ziyanda Ngcobo | 170 days ago

DURBAN - Angry Newlands east residents have blocked the Dumisani Makhaye Highway in KwaMashu following a deadly taxi accident that claimed the lives of three teenagers.

It’s alleged that the driver of the vehicle skipped a traffic light and rammed into the pupils who are understood to have been making their way to school.

He fled the scene on foot just moments after the crash.

#NewlandsCrash Police are now monitoring the situation as community members blockade one side of the highway as a form of protest against the accident that took place today. Every taxi that passes here gets sworn at. ZN pic.twitter.com/mklXAkxpOw
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 6, 2019

Infuriated Newlands east residents closed off one side of the highway with burning tyres and were hurling insults at every taxi from the Lindelani Taxi Association.

Community members said the three teenagers who were killed in the deadly taxi accident were not the first victims of drivers from this particular association.

One resident said drivers from Lindelani continuously break the rules of the road, and around two weeks ago, three children from the Thobile Primary School died in the same way on the same highway.

Public order police arrived on the scene and were closely monitoring activities.

#NewlandsCrash [WATCH] The public order policing have now arrived on the scene and are engaging residents. They’re saying taxi drivers from the Lindelani taxi association have killed too many people on this highway and must be shut down. ZN pic.twitter.com/I6LslSr5Za
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 6, 2019

Residents want the government to build a pedestrian bridge over the highway which connects the areas of Clermont, Pinetown, Newlands, KwaMashu, Inanda, and KwaDabeka.

(Edited by Thapelo Lekabe)

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