A dark and sinister shadow still hangs over Pinetown after what must surely be SA's worst road disaster in years. 27 people are dead and nearly 80 are injured - some critically. Chilling footage from the dash-cam of a truck that narrowly avoided the holocaust records a scene which, prior to the collision, might depict any rush-hour in any city in the world.
It is dusk. Three taxis and a blue vehicle (possibly a VW Jetta?) wait patiently for the green light. One can imagine the mood. Kwaito blares from a tinny sound system. Weary workers reflect on a busy day of domestic service or on the monotonous stop/start of the production line in one of Pinetown's light industries. Women clutch shopping bags after a hurried shop in the store up the road. Their day is not yet over - households that depend on their provision await the evening meal. A flustered driver longs for his shift to end - he's beat. It's a typical end to another South African day.
The light turns to green...
Part of me wishes I'd never seen the footage of the collision which can be seen here. It is chilling and it haunted my sleep last night. If a nightmare is an exaggerated projection of some basic fear we face then what plagued me last night was no nightmare. It was reality pure and simple - except I was sleeping.
Perhaps the reality of South Africa's treacherous roads is that we are all sleeping. From the one-over-the-limit boytie who insists "I'm driving, live with it" to the taxi driver who willfully overloads his vehicle. There's the arrogant owner of that luxury German sedan whose superior driving abilities entitle him to speed - even if it scares the crap out of the rest of us. And tragically, there's the escalating fleet of un-roadworthy freighters which simply don't belong on roads like the M13.
I'm angry about this. I am wondering what I can do about it. Those least able to defend themselves are, in this instance and many others like it, the ones squarely in the firing line.
Heaven help us.
