Biker who promoted road safety killed in hit-and-run crash

Mpumalanga’s community safety, security and liaison spokesperson Joseph Mabuza is one of the latest fatalities on the country’s roads.

Mabuza was killed in a motorcycle accident on the N4 on Sunday, December 23 2018.

“He was driving from the Lebombo border to Mozambique, which has been engulfed by [a] traffic pile-up as people are heading for holidays and some home. His brother, Kingdom Mabuza, could not say much, but to just confirm the incident,” the department said.

Kingdom said: “We are very sad and more communication will come through as the whole family gets this.”

The department called Mabuza the “darling of the media” in the province.

Provincial police spokesperson brigadier Leonard Hlathi said the police were looking for the driver involved in the accident at Hectorspruit, near Komatipoort.

“Information at the disposal of police suggests that the fugitive may have recklessly executed a U-turn on the busy road, in the process causing a serious crash with Mabuza, who was on a motorbike and was fatally wounded at the scene. The unknown driver simply disappeared from the crime scene before authorities could arrive.”

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said Mabuza was a “consummate professional who often sacrificed family time and pleasure to promote safety on the roads”.

“Mabuza was always available, even in late hours of the night, to assist at road traffic collision scenes and to provide accurate information to the seniors, as well as members of the media.”

RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane called Mabuza “a friend and a brother”.

“He was always cool and kept his mind focused on issues that needed to be communicated to the public. For him, communication was not a regular job, it was a calling. There are not many communicators like him. He will be sorely missed.”