A Northern Cape registered side tipper truck that should never have left the yard was yanked off the N10 outside Cookhouse this week, and its driver landed in cuffs after allegedly trying to grease a traffic officer’s palm with R1 500.
According to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, the young female officer pulled the truck over when she spotted the trailer fishtailing.
During a roadside inspection, the officer discovered the truck had a sloppy steering rack, loose wiring dangling inside the cab and tyres that were closer to slicks than tread.
Instead of fixing the defects, the driver allegedly whipped out cash. The officer refused the bribe, slapped him with bribery and unroadworthy vehicle charges, and had the truck impounded.
Transport MEC Xolile Nqatha applauded her “bravery and absolute patriotism”, saying she put public safety ahead of personal gain.
N10’s Dark Track Record
This isn’t the first time the N10 has made headlines for defective trucks causing carnage:
In February, a two-truck crash near Cradock shut the road for over eight hours.
Back in October last year, a horrendous head-on smash between a truck and a Quantum near Cradock claimed a life.
And don’t forget that fiery crash at Olifantskop Pass in September 2024, where a Freightliner went ablaze after losing control – luckily the driver escaped thanks to quick-thinking truckers.
The arrested driver is in line for charges and a court date in Somerset East. The N10’s crash count is proof enough there’s no room for sloppiness.
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