A 50-year-old Eastern Cape teacher was killed and two children injured in a collision on the N6 near Rouxville after a truck driver allegedly attempted to overtake on a barrier line.
Nomphiwe Ancilla Dzai, a mother and teacher in Smithfield, died at the scene following the crash on Monday evening.
Police have opened a culpable homicide case, and the truck driver is expected to appear in court.
Alleged overtaking manoeuvre ends in fatal crash
Police spokesperson Sergeant Sinah Mpakane said the collision occurred at about 6.32pm on October 5.
“It is alleged that the driver attempted to overtake on a barrier line but failed to complete the manoeuvre in time to avoid oncoming traffic,” Mpakane said.
The truck was travelling towards Rouxville when the collision occurred.
Dzai was driving a Toyota Fortuner towards Smithfield with two children when the vehicle collided with the truck.
“The impact caused the Toyota Fortuner to veer off the road into the veld,” Mpakane said.
Emergency Medical Services personnel declared Dzai dead at the scene.
Two children rushed to hospital
The two children travelling in the Fortuner survived the crash but sustained injuries of varying severity.
“A girl passenger suffered minor injuries, while a boy passenger sustained head injuries; both were transported to Smithfield Hospital for further medical examination,” Mpakane said.
Dzai was from Zwelitsha location in Sterkspruit and worked as a teacher in Smithfield.
Culpable homicide case investigated
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision, with the truck driver expected to face a culpable homicide charge.
“A case of culpable homicide is currently being investigated by the police,” Mpakane said.
The investigation is continuing.
