A 24-year-old driver who allegedly ploughed into six pedestrians, killing them all, has been released on R1,000 bail.
Sanele Zinkwantshu appeared in The Mbizana Court in the Eastern Cape on Monday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.
NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the accused was charged with six counts of culpable homicide.
“This follows an accident that took place on the R61 road between Mbizana and Mzamba on June 21, 2024, where six pedestrians were killed after they were knocked down by a vehicle allegedly driven by the accused.”
The victims were walking along the road when a sedan heading from Mbizana in the direction of Mzamba ploughed into them.
The deceased have been identified as Siyavuya Sabelo, 31, Sandiso Nkasa, 30, Kamvelihle Dindi, 24, Mvisiswano Ngaleka, 24, Sibonelo Potye, 29 and Mthokozisi Jabulana, 29.
Zinkwantshu was arrested two days after the accident.
The matter has been postponed to July 15, 2024 for further investigations.
Eastern Cape provincial Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose, described the accident as “possibly by far the worst accident involving pedestrians ever recorded in the province”.
The Cape Times reported that the BMW sedan was travelling from Mbizana towards Port Edward with just the driver in the vehicle.
“The driver knocked all six of them down. Five died on the scene, while the sixth man died on the way to OR Tambo and Adelaide Tambo Hospital in Mbizana,” said Binqose.
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