NATIONAL NEWS - A video depicting an alleged reckless and negligent driver on the N11 (Majuba Pass) in Kwa-Zulu Natal has been widely circulated on social media.
In the video, reportedly captured by a motorist on Saturday, the truck driver appears to deliberately endanger the lives of countless other road users by overtaking on solid lines and corners, speeding, and even colliding with a bakkie and trailer, causing the vehicle to almost veer off the road surface.
Officials have confirmed that the driver was eventually stopped by Charlestown SAPS, who arrested and charged him for reckless and negligent driving.
Local transport company, Ni-Da, who owns the truck in the video clip, has since responded to the Newcastle Advertiser about the incident.
Operations Director for Ni-Da Transport, Pieter Kwakernaak, states the company ‘does not and will not’ tolerate a driver putting someone’s life in danger, as is highlighted in the video.
“We have seen the footage and we are shocked by his behaviour. We have started internal investigations and we can confirm that the driver in question will not set foot another fleet at our company again.
“We can confirm that such an offence is cause for immediate dismissal.”
Kwakernaak reveals the driver has been employed by the company for over a year and in this time, has never given any reason to question his credibility. He says the company ‘always did its homework’ before hiring drivers.
“[The driver] had a good track record and references to back him up. He has been a good driver and there was no prior indication he was capable of the actions shown this past weekend. We can only wonder what went through his mind, causing him to act that way. But with this said, Ni-Da has a zero-tolerance policy for reckless driving and we cannot allow him to operate our fleets any further.”
He adds that even if the driver had not been stopped and charged by SAPS, the company would have detected his reckless driving through its own internal systems, such as tracking and in-cab cameras.
In terms of driving behaviour, we have various flags that arise and this was definitely flagged on our system.”
Kwakernaak further assured the newspaper that despite rumours that the truck experienced brake failure, there was ‘absolutely nothing mechanically wrong with the truck’.
He stated the incident was ‘pure reckless driving’.
Kwakernaak gives the community assurances that Ni-Da’s trucks and drivers’ behaviour are monitored constantly.
