Teachers and construction workers were left shocked when a 39-year-old crane operator was crushed by a truck’s hydraulic crane.
The incident happened at Wisani Primary School in Rolle, outside Thulamahashe near Bushbuckridge.
Speaking to SA Trucker, truck driver Donald Makana (45) said his colleague Steve Mnisi was trying to fasten a loose bolt to the hydraulic crane on the truck when the crane suddenly crushed him on Monday at about 1pm.
Makana said they were about to lift up the steel standing for the school water tank using the hydraulic crane.
“All workers were on the ground as Mnisi was fastening the loose bolt to stop the spilling oil,” he said.
“Suddenly the crane crushed him. We had to use a Tractor-Loader-Backhoe to pull the crane and remove him.”
SGB vice-chairman Eckson Nthani called paramedics, but Mnisi was certified dead on the scene.
Mpumalanga education spokesman Jasper Zwane sent his condolences to the Mnisi family.
Police spokesman Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said an inquest docket was opened.
