WATCH | Man nearly flies off back of truck on busy Durban freeway

Durban metro police issued a stern warning to motorists on Wednesday that they could face the full might of the law for illegally transporting goods and people on the back of open vehicles.

This after the emergence of a viral video of a man holding down what appeared to be corrugated iron sheeting on the back of a truck as it sped down the N2 freeway.

A passenger in a car captured how the man held on while the sheeting flew off on to the road. 

Mercifully, the man didn't fly off with the sheeting, but fell into the back of the van.

The person who filmed the spectacle laughed hysterically, even after the car he was travelling in nearly hit the sheeting that had fallen on to the road.

Arrive Alive retweeted the video hours later and said: “Sadly no laughing matter ... could have ended very badly!!!”

Metro police spokesperson Sen Sup Parboo Sewpersad said the driver of the van was in contravention of the National Road Traffic Act.

“He could have been charged with carrying goods unsafely in a goods vehicle.

“When goods are transported in a van they must be secured. A person is not permitted to sit or lean against goods being transported.

“Motorists must be mindful of their passengers and other road users,” he added.