Brackenham crash survivor speaks out from hospital bed
UPDATE: Police search for Brackenham crash driver.
‘WE never saw it coming until the last second.’
One of the survivors of Saturday morning’s horror accident at the Brackenham/Alton robot intersection says the crash that claimed two lives happened in a deadly instant.
Speaking from intensive care at Netcare The Bay Hospital on this morning, Justin Ramouthar said the black Golf driven by second survivor Reagan Naidoo was travelling from Brackenham to Alton and had waited behind a Transnet vehicle for the robot to change.
‘When the light turned green and traffic from the sides (R619) stopped, we drove forward but the Opel coming from town bypassed the queue of cars, driving in the left turning lane, and sped through the intersection against the red.
‘It narrowly missed the Transnet vehicle and smashed into us.’
Marco Naidoo (39), brother of Reagan, and Nigel Norris (28) both succumbed to serious injuries.
The four Golf occupants were on their way to work at Bell Equipment and Tata Steel when the collision occurred at around 5am – the first time they had all travelled to work together.
‘We have been told the people in the other car were on their way home from an all-night bar, and that the driver tried to run away,’ said Justin.
SAPS Det Sgt Leon Porter, who is investigating the accident, confirmed there had been five occupants in the Opel, including the owner, and that the driver had absconded and was still being sought.
Any person with information can contact Sgt Porter on 035 9012419.
Though suffering much pain, Justin’s prime concern is for his lost friends and their grieving families.
‘I cannot even go to the funeral services but I want them to know my deepest sympathies are with them.
‘It is just so sad that we must say goodbye to these special friends.’
•The funeral service for Marco Naidoo will held at 12.15pm tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Good Tidings Fellowship Church, 7 Duikerdraai, Wildenweide, with viewing between 11am and noon. From the church the procession will drive to the Richards Bay cemetery for the burial.
