Police arrest man in connection with deadly Newlands East taxi accident
This follows an accident in Newlands East earlier on Wednesday morning in which three female learners were killed.
DURBAN - KwaZulu-Natal police have confirmed a 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the deaths of three teenagers on the Dumisani Makhaye Highway in Newlands East on Wednesday morning.
The taxi driver allegedly skipped a traffic light and rammed into four pupils who were making their way to school earlier.
One teenager is still in hospital.
Police say the 33-year-old driver will face three counts of culpable homicide and is currently being held at the KwaMashu police station.
Angry Newlands East residents have blockaded one side of the Dumisani Makhaye Highway in protest against the Lindelani Taxi Association which they claim has drivers who continuously break the rules of the road.
#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
#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
#NewlandsCrash KwaZulu Natal Education spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa says MEC Mthandeni Dlungwane will be visited the affected families tomorrow. For today the department will head to the nursing school where the pupils are understood to have been studying at. ZN pic.twitter.com/jLvX18tTIn
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 6, 2019
Residents have told EWN that a driver from the same association rammed into three pupils from the Thobile Primary School around two weeks ago.
Community members are also demanding that a pedestrian bridge be built for the safety of children walking to school.
Meanwhile, a mortuary has since collected the bodies and the crash site has been cleared for traffic.
