KZN taxi in 'dangerous condition'

04 September 2015 - 02:09 By Nivashni Nair

The driver of a minibus taxi that went off the Shaka's Head bridge and crashed into an oncoming train last month was speeding and failed to stop at a stop sign. The vehicle's braking system was also in an "unroadworthy and dangerous condition".That's according to an engineer's report, included in an executive statement tabled in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature yesterday, which said the driver's reckless driving or the vehicle's poor brakes or a combination of both were at play on the day of the crash, which claimed 16 lives.KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC Willies Mchunu said the engineers were "emphatic" that the road's condition was not a contributing factor in the crash. "The preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the minibus taxi failed to stop at the intersection, went over the guardrail, and landed on the railway track. An approaching train then crashed into the minibus taxi, almost destroying it completely," he said.A private forensic accident investigator, commissioned by the department, found that several new components - steering rack, pinion and shock-absorbers had been fitted to the vehicle.The investigator found that the bigger-than-normal sized diameter of the rear brake drum, the worn-out right front brake pins and bushes and the loose rear axile "U" bolts would have resulted in an unstable vehicle."The report from our E-Natis system revealed that this minibus taxi was recently tested in Gauteng and issued with a roadworthiness certificate. It is concerning that a vehicle from KwaDukuza will go as far as Gauteng to obtain a roadworthiness certificate. We are therefore investigating this," Mchunu said...

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