Central SA
Free State Health warns against speculation after death of N8 accident victim─── LUCKY NKUYANE 14:46 Tue, 15 Nov 2022
The Free State Department of Health has warned against speculation about the death of one of the N8 accident victims, saying people should not rush to conclusions and link the death to the accident yet.
OFM News reported that the death toll of the accident between an Interstate bus and a truck from a North-West based company in Klerksdorp, which occurred near Botshabelo in the Free State on 10 November 2022, has since risen to nine.
ALSO READ: Death toll of N8 collision increases to 9
According to the departmental spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, the department is set to perform a post-mortem to determine the cause of death. The deceased was initially admitted to the Botshabelo District Hospital on Thursday 10 November and was later discharged. Mvambi says the woman then came back to the Moroka Hospital on 13 November and passed away on 14 November 2022.
Seven people, including both drivers of the bus and the truck, were among those who died on the scene that day. According to the Police, Roads and Transport Department spokesperson, Hillary Mophethe, “it is alleged that the truck driver overtook the bus and when he noticed an oncoming vehicle he then tried to avoid a head-on collision by swaying his truck but this led to a crash with the bus.
ALSO READ: Seven people dead, 38 injured, and many trapped after Free State bus accident
“She had comorbidities that were known both to herself and the health professionals that treated her. The body was taken for a post-mortem on Monday to either rule out or confirm trauma-related death. The department would like to caution that the cause of death is not to be rushed into and attributed to the accident. It is not logical to add this patient to the number of persons that died in the accident up until the results of a post-mortem are known to ascertain the cause of death,” Mvambi adds.
At least 38 people were ferried to different hospitals for medical attention. According to the provincial Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson, Sipho Towa, the injured commuters were taken to the Botshabelo Hospital (22) and the Moroka Hospital in Thaba Nchu (9) whilst critically, moderately injured people were transported to the Pelonomi Trauma Hospital (6) and Rosepark Life Hospital (1) in Bloemfontein by various emergency medical services. Patients include 3 critically injured, 19 moderately injured, and 32 with minor injuries, with 7 people declared dead on the scene - both the drivers and 5 passengers.
