15/07/2015
Pretoria - Details of how Tshwane metro police officers, Tshepo Mphaka, Smith Sefoka and Kreshen Naidoo hit a cow on the N1, have emerged.
It appears another car suddenly swerved in front of the municipal police trio’s BMW to avoid hitting the cow which had stumbled on to the N1 near the Murrayhill off-ramp.
The animal got on to the highway through a hole in the fence, which seemed freshly cut by unknown people, suspected to be scrap metal vandals, said Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concession commercial manager, Liam Clarke.
The section of the N1 where the accident happened is managed by the company under a 30-year concession with Sanral, SA National Roads Agency Ltd.
The fence was repaired the morning following the incident, Clarke said.
“Unfortunately, we do not have surveillance cameras in that section. However, I can confirm that this information is correct and was reliably obtained from our highway patrol team which was in the area.”
Mphaka and Sefoka were killed when their official car hit the cow a week ago.
A memorial service was held for them on Tuesday.
Mphaka, 25, from Mabopane, and 30-year-old Sefoka of Mamelodi will be buried at the weekend.
The third officer, Naidoo, survived with injuries and was taken to hospital, where he received treatment.
He was later discharged and is undergoing counselling.
The three were on routine patrol last Friday night when the accident, which involved three other cars, happened.
The animal was also killed.
Since then, theories have been circulating on what might have happened on the night of the crash.
Clarke said the unfortunate incident took place at about midnight on July 3 as the metro police officers were overtaking another vehicle.
The branded BMW was severely damaged in the front and on top. Its windscreen was smashed.
Tshwane metro police department is still investigating the accident.
Clarke said the 384km of highways managed by Bakwena on the N1 and N4 were patrolled three times a day. Any defects are repaired timeously in line with the specification of the concession contract.
“Theft of fencing, guard rails and stormwater inlet grids is at an extremely high rate along the N1 and N4 and throughout the country,” he said.
“Measures are being implemented to reduce the impact of these thefts on road users.”
* Another law enforcement officer has been killed during a car crash on Gauteng’s roads this week.
On Wednesday night, Hawks Captain Mabunyela Mlangheni was travelling in Bosmont when his private vehicle collided head-on with an Iveco bus at the corner of Albertina Sisulu and Muizenberg streets. Mlangheni was declared dead at the scene. Bus driver Michael Baloyi sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital.
Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said a culpable homicide case has been opened.