SITEKI – The 31-year-old driver of the VW sedan that was involved in a head-on collision with a Toyota Corolla crystal light, resulting in the death of Alice Bhila (31) and her three children, has spoken.
The accident happened last Friday evening at Mahlabaneni community and the driver has come out to allege he was disturbed by the children who were picking scattered sugar cane on the road. Ndumiso Dlamini of Mndobandoba, next to Big Bend, said he was coming to pick up a pizza at LL Hotel, when accident happened. Mahlabaneni community is situated between Big Bend and Lavumisa and opposite USA Distillers.
Interviewed
When he was interviewed, while at the Good Shepherd Catholic Hospital (GSCH) yesterday, he mentioned that he sustained head injuries and fractured ribs, as well a fractured right leg.
A police officer was found in the ward recording a statement from Njabulo Dlamini (30), the driver of the Toyota Corolla crystal light sedan. Ndumiso shared that when he was passing USA Distillers, a company situated opposite the Mahlabaneni community, he failed to control the car after spotting children picking up scattered sugar cane on the road while driving towards Matata. He narrated that when he tried to avoid hitting the children, he knocked the Toyota Corolla that was driving towards Big Bend, from Lavumisa and the car drove into the guardrails.
Ndumiso, who is self-employed, stated that at that instance, another vehicle knocked the Toyota Corolla from behind and that the impact forced the two cars to collide. He said he was alone in his car during the accident. “I could not remember what happened after trying to avoid the children as the oncoming car was close, hence I failed to avoid it,” he said. Ndumiso was found in the same ward with Njabulo, who was driving the Toyota Corolla sedan. Njabulo, from Mphalaleni, who works for a company contracted to clear the bushes around the Gamula area for sugar cane farming, shared that he only noticed the VW sedan driving on his lane and he failed to avoid it on the basis that there were guardrails that prevented him for doing so. He sustained head injuries, a fractured left arm and shoulder, and a deep cut on his left thigh. He said he was also alone in the car during the accident and he was driving towards the Manzini direction. “I could not remember anything after my car was bumped by the VW sedan. I am still in pain as I believe I have internal injuries,” he said.
Funeral
Meanwhile, the Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (SMVAF) will fork out E40 000 towards covering the funeral expenses of Alice and her three children. The fund’s Communications Manager, Makhosi Magongo, said the family had to follow the applicable procedure for applying for the compensation at the fund’s offices. “The Sincephetelo MVA Fund will cover the funeral costs of the four people who died during the car accident. Each of the four will receive E10 000 as a cover for the funeral expenses,” he said. The accident claimed the life of a Grade I pupil of Mahlabaneni Primary School. The two other children who also died in the accident were aged five and two years respectively. Alice has also left behind two children aged 15 and 12, doing Form I at Big Bend High, while the other is doing Grade VI at Mahlabaneni Primary School.