The driver of the truck into which Public Service and Administration Minister Collins Chabane's car crashed, killing him, was expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
The truck was making a U-turn across the N1 highway near Polokwane around 1am on Sunday when the VW Touareg carrying Chabane and two bodyguards crashed into it.
Chabane and sergeants Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane died on the scene. The truck driver was unhurt. The top half of the VW was ripped off.
The truck driver was arrested and police opened a case of culpable homicide. Police spokeswoman Colonel Ronel Otto said it was possible the truck driver could have been under the influence of alcohol.
"When they arrested him, he took a breathalyzer test," Otto said.
"It did indicate that he might have been drinking. So we took him to a hospital for blood tests."
Otto could not say how long it would take for the results of the blood tests to be available.
The Star quoted Automobile Association spokesman Marius Luyt as saying that if the minister's car had been travelling within the speed limit, it should have been able to stop in time.
Polokwane cluster commander, Major-General Joseph Maepa, told The Star the truck's licence disk expired last year, and that the driver had a pending case of driving under the influence in Ekurhuleni and was facing an assault case in Giyani, Limpopo.
Driver in court for Chabane's fatal crash
The driver of the truck into which Public Service and Administration Minister Collins Chabane's car crashed, killing him, was expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
The truck was making a U-turn across the N1 highway near Polokwane around 1am on Sunday when the VW Touareg carrying Chabane and two bodyguards crashed into it.
Chabane and sergeants Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane died on the scene. The truck driver was unhurt. The top half of the VW was ripped off.
The truck driver was arrested and police opened a case of culpable homicide. Police spokeswoman Colonel Ronel Otto said it was possible the truck driver could have been under the influence of alcohol.
"When they arrested him, he took a breathalyzer test," Otto said.
"It did indicate that he might have been drinking. So we took him to a hospital for blood tests."
Otto could not say how long it would take for the results of the blood tests to be available.
The Star quoted Automobile Association spokesman Marius Luyt as saying that if the minister's car had been travelling within the speed limit, it should have been able to stop in time.
Polokwane cluster commander, Major-General Joseph Maepa, told The Star the truck's licence disk expired last year, and that the driver had a pending case of driving under the influence in Ekurhuleni and was facing an assault case in Giyani, Limpopo.
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