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- Acting president David Mabuza has expressed concern over recent truck accidents.
- Accidents occurred on KwaZulu-Natal roads on Friday and Monday.
- The Road Traffic Management Corporation has warned truck owners they can be held liable for negligent driving.
Acting president David Mabuza has expressed concern over recent truck accidents in South Africa and has appealed to motorists to exercise caution.
His comments come after a crash on Monday on the R34 near Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal, which caused a six-vehicle pile-up that left two people injured. The accident allegedly occurred after a truck failed to stop.
In addition, a collision between a truck and a bakkie in Pongola claimed the lives of 19 children and two adults on Friday.
Mabuza stressed the importance of road safety and said all road users should make it a priority to curb the high fatality rate as a result of accidents.
"Every life that is lost on the road is one too many. We, therefore, call on road users to exercise caution and be patient with other road users in order to save lives," Mabuza added.
READ | Truck driver in court for Pongola crash that claimed 21 lives, including 19 children
He also urged South Africans to refrain from the "destruction of property and violent acts against truck drivers", and added that an imbizo would be held with those in the trucking industry to discuss challenges drivers face, and ways to improve road safety.
Meanwhile, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has issued a stern warning to truck owners, following the spate of crashes.
Owners can be held liable for the negligence of their drivers, RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane warned, and can lose the right to operate on national roads.
Zwane said:
"Failure by operators to properly carry out their responsibilities as imposed by the Act can lead to conviction and sentence."
