Taxi association believes fatal R102 crash was caused by speeding taxi
The Pietermaritzburg Long Distance Taxi Association believes their driver swerved to avoid the vehicle in front of him - before crashing into an oncoming bus, on Monday.
Five people were killed when the taxi collided head-on with the bus on the R102 in Empangeni in northern KZN - with traffic officials saying yesterday that the taxi might have been speeding.
The association's Simon Mbhele claims the taxi hit a white car on its bumper, before colliding with the bus. He adds the car slowed down because of a pothole in the road, and the taxi driver then tried to avoid hitting him - when the crash occurred.
Meanwhile, the family of one of the victims, Lindiwe Thabethe, say none of the details matter now.
Thabethe's niece, Thando Gumbi, says the family has been left devastated.
"We found out about the accident on Whatsapp, then we heard on the news. So we contacted those she'd left with and it was true. We couldn't believe she died. It's sad that she's dead, but it doesn't matter how it happened, nothing can bring her back to her family," she said.
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