N3 Mariannhill crash driver gets bail
The driver of the truck that ploughed into more than a dozen vehicles on the N3 near the Mariannhill Toll Plaza has been granted bail by the Pinetown Magistrate's Court.
Vuso Tega made his second appearance on Friday following Tuesday's accident that claimed two lives.
He is facing two counts of culpable homicide and alternative charges of reckless and negligent driving.
His first appearance on Wednesday had to be postponed as the State had to confirm his residential address.
Today the court heard that Tega has two addresses, one in the Bluff area, south of Durban and another outside the county.
A group calling themselves South Africa Not For Sale is demonstrating outside the Pinetown Magistrates Court ahead of bail proceedings of the alleged truck driver behind the N3 Marianhill Toll Plaza multi-vehicle crash. @SteveBhengu pic.twitter.com/bpoWh86cqU
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) November 4, 2022
Vuso Tega makes his way into court for his bail proceedings in relation to the N3 Marianhill Toll Plaza crash which killed 2 people. @SteveBhengu pic.twitter.com/xEjtpiC9X8
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) November 4, 2022
It's been confirmed that he is a foreign national.
The State also confirmed that Tega is married with two children, a boy aged nine and a girl aged six, who live with him, along with his mother.
The State said it would not oppose bail as all his documentation was in order.
Tega's defence lawyer, Samlal Garbaran, further motivated that his client has been in the country for 14 years, is the sole breadwinner, and has no prior convictions except for a traffic violation dating back to 2011.
READ: Mariannhill crash: KZN Transport to hold companies liable for truck-related incidents
He said his client had been employed at the current company since 9 September 2022, taking home R8 000 per month. Garbaran argued that any bail amount above R3 000 would require him to take out a loan from his employer.
After hearing both sides, Magistrate Wendalynn Robinson ruled that bail was set at R10 000.
Robinson said it was in the interest of justice that the bail conditions be fair.
Tega will have to report to his local police station twice a week, on Fridays and Mondays.
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He will have to hand in all his travel documents over.
The court heard that witness statements, video footage and other reports are still outstanding. The matter was postponed to 17 January 2023.
The state says it does not oppose bail for Vuso Tega and that the amount should be set at R5000 (five thousand) and that it’s satisfied with his documentation permitting him to be in the country. @SteveBhengu pic.twitter.com/AvVnwqnGg0
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) November 4, 2022
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