The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport‚ Community Safety and Liaison‚ Mxolisi Kaunda‚ on Thursday gave a thumbs up to the Verulam Magistrate’s Court over its decision to charge the truck owner linked to the Field’s Hill horrific accident.
Truck owner Gregory Govender faces four charges relating to operating an unroadworthy vehicle‚ failure to ensure public safety by giving maintenance responsibilities to unqualified persons as well as employing an illegal foreigner and failing to do a proper background check.
The driver of the truck‚ Sanele May‚ a Swazi national‚ is serving eight years in jail‚ following a marathon trial into the accident that claimed the lives of 24 people.
A dashcam captured May driving the truck at high speed through a red traffic light and ploughing into four minibus taxis and a private vehicle near Fields Hill‚ Pinetown‚ near Durban‚ in September 2013.
Govender is due back in court on August 12 for the defence team to be provided with statements in the docket.
Kaunda welcomed the magistrate’s decision‚ handed down on Wednesday.
“We welcome the magistrate court’s decision to hold the truck operator accountable. This is what we‚ as government‚ have been calling for‚ to ensure that we instil a sense of collective responsibility for road safety – drivers and owners alike. We believe this decision to charge the truck owner will go a long way in changing people’s mind-sets on road safety‚ as we move towards ensuring harsher sentences for road traffic infringements‚” Kaunda said in a statement.
The Times reported in October 2014 that Govender‚ who owns Sagekal Logistics‚ had been unable to pay a tyre bill of R146‚000 dating back more than a year.
The Verulam Magistrate’s Court ordered that one of his trucks be auctioned to pay his bill to a company called Tyres 2000.
Another company‚ Wozani Berg Gasoline‚ won a judgment against Govender in August that year after Sagekal could not pay its fuel bill.
Meanwhile‚ Kaunda will on Saturday attend the mass funeral of 11 members of the 12th Apostolic Church who were killed during last Sunday’s bakkie accident in KwaMbotho‚ Harding‚ his office said.
Trucking company owner to face criminal charges over Pinetown accident that killed 24
The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport‚ Community Safety and Liaison‚ Mxolisi Kaunda‚ on Thursday gave a thumbs up to the Verulam Magistrate’s Court over its decision to charge the truck owner linked to the Field’s Hill horrific accident.
Truck owner Gregory Govender faces four charges relating to operating an unroadworthy vehicle‚ failure to ensure public safety by giving maintenance responsibilities to unqualified persons as well as employing an illegal foreigner and failing to do a proper background check.
The driver of the truck‚ Sanele May‚ a Swazi national‚ is serving eight years in jail‚ following a marathon trial into the accident that claimed the lives of 24 people.
A dashcam captured May driving the truck at high speed through a red traffic light and ploughing into four minibus taxis and a private vehicle near Fields Hill‚ Pinetown‚ near Durban‚ in September 2013.
Govender is due back in court on August 12 for the defence team to be provided with statements in the docket.
Kaunda welcomed the magistrate’s decision‚ handed down on Wednesday.
“We welcome the magistrate court’s decision to hold the truck operator accountable. This is what we‚ as government‚ have been calling for‚ to ensure that we instil a sense of collective responsibility for road safety – drivers and owners alike. We believe this decision to charge the truck owner will go a long way in changing people’s mind-sets on road safety‚ as we move towards ensuring harsher sentences for road traffic infringements‚” Kaunda said in a statement.
The Times reported in October 2014 that Govender‚ who owns Sagekal Logistics‚ had been unable to pay a tyre bill of R146‚000 dating back more than a year.
The Verulam Magistrate’s Court ordered that one of his trucks be auctioned to pay his bill to a company called Tyres 2000.
Another company‚ Wozani Berg Gasoline‚ won a judgment against Govender in August that year after Sagekal could not pay its fuel bill.
Meanwhile‚ Kaunda will on Saturday attend the mass funeral of 11 members of the 12th Apostolic Church who were killed during last Sunday’s bakkie accident in KwaMbotho‚ Harding‚ his office said.
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