The Department of Transport in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed a 10 year jail sentence handed to truck driver Ndumiso Petros Dzandibe who crashed into two people on the N3 highway last year, killing them.
Dzandibe, 35, was sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court this week.
Kavish Ramnaraya, a tow truck driver and Zithulele Ntshangase, a Principal Provincial Inspector, died on September 2, 2023.
The duo were trying to assist with an accident, when a second truck, driven by Dzandibe, ploughed into them.
At the time of the accident, the Department of Transport said the brakes of the first truck failed, causing the driver to lose control, and the vehicle overturned.
“Tragically, during this unfolding chaos, our road traffic enforcement officer and the breakdown operator, who were selflessly working to ensure the safety of others, were struck by a second truck,” said then transport spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane.
“This secondary collision further exacerbated the situation as it collided with an overturned tanker. The driver of the second truck fled the scene.”
Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokesperson for the Department of Transport, said Dzandibe, 35, was sentenced on two counts of culpable homicide charges, reckless driving, exceeding the speed limit and failing to perform the duties expected of a driver after an accident, by fleeing the scene.
“We are still exploring the possibility of investigating how Dzandibe obtained his driver’s license.
“We have not ruled out the possibility that he bought his driver’s license through a criminal syndicate that has infiltrated driving centres.”
He said Dzandibe had been employed as a truck driver for three weeks prior to the accident.
During October, which is Transport Month, the Department said it would have meetings with the freight industry to discuss, among other issues, the importance of strengthening their recruitment processes when hiring truck drivers.
“Finally, we wish to send a strong message that disrespecting authority, and disregarding the rules of the road is a thing of the past. We undertake to act firmly and decisively,” Sibiya said.
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