Umhlanga pile-up shows need to tighten transport regulations, warns RFA
The Road Freight Association says the multi-vehicle pile-up in Umhlanga has again highlighted the deficiencies within the regulation and management of transport in South Africa.
A tipper truck crashed into slow-moving traffic on the M41 on Monday morning, leaving 15 people injured.
Around 50 vehicles were involved.
The 23-year-old truck driver fled the scene but has since handed himself over on Monday night.
READ: Tipper truck driver in court for Umhlanga pile-up
Road Freight Association CEO Gavin Kelly says authorities must initiate a post-crash probe as a matter of urgency.
"There are other deficiencies that are blatant and that is around the roadworthiness of that vehicle. The management of the roadworthiness and how that vehicle could still be on the road and whilst the operator or transporter is operating in such a badly maintained vehicle.
"The question had to be looking at bits and pieces of that combination, how that got past various authorities both in terms of annual roadworthy checks in terms of normal roadworthy checks and in terms of frequent roadside checks of vehicles."
ALSO READ: Hunt over for M41 crash truck driver as suspect turns himself in
Kellly says the time for compliance across the industry has come.
"We cannot accept and continue to accept that our roads are going to be plagued by vehicles of any class that are operated in a non-complaint way. The finger points not only to an operator by also to the roadworthy centres."
