Just when it seemed we had wrapped our heads around the R369 fatal truck crash caught on CCTV near Orania, fresh details have added a dramatic twist to the story.
Turns out, what looked like a straightforward rear-end crash involving a side tipper was actually a double-impact collision involving three trucks — and now Mzansi’s trucking community is buzzing with debate.
Photos from the scene, along with testimony from a trucker who arrived shortly after the crash, paint a very different picture.
According to the witness, the truck that rear-ended the side tipper had already collided head-on with an oncoming truck just seconds before.
After the head-on impact, the same truck continued moving and violently crashed into the back of the side tipper, which had slowed down — likely to navigate over a massive pothole on that notorious stretch of the R369.
One driver tragically died at the scene — believed to be the driver of the truck that hit both the oncoming truck and the side tipper.
A new video taken by the witness shortly after the crash confirms that all three trucks were involved in the collision.
Debate is now raging on social media about what really caused the crash.
Some are blaming the poor state of the road — particularly the crater-sized potholes that force trucks to slow down or swerve unexpectedly.
Others argue it’s a classic case of unsafe following distance, saying the driver behind should’ve maintained better control, pothole or not.
“This crash shows how quickly things can spiral,” one trucker posted online. “Yes, the road’s kak, but if you’re not alert and following too close, this is what happens.”
Whatever the cause, one thing is clear — South African truckers are tired of playing dodgem on roads that are barely holding together.
Watch the new video below:
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