Eco-cri met with Eskom and Rotran at Camden Power Station, not more than two weeks ago, to discuss the bad behaviour of coal transporting truck drivers on the roads.  It would seem that the concerns of Eco-cri fell on deaf ears, as a driver of Mziki Transport, who was transporting coal on Sunday, 24 July, was the cause of a train accident in Havenga Street.
A truck driver form Anton le Roux Transport was driving down Havenga Street, towards the Piet Retief road, at approximately 05:50 and slowed down at the railway crossing.  He saw the light of a train approaching from the right and halted at the stop sign.  According to him, soon after he came to a stop he heard the train’s whistle.  He looked in his rearview mirror and could not believe what he was seeing.  Approaching from the back was a loaded Mziki coal transporting truck at a speed, and on the wrong side of the road.  The Mziki truck sped past the stationary truck, in the path of the oncoming train.  According to the driver of the stationary truck the coal transporting truck driver did not even attempt to stop or slow down.  The train hit the truck and it fell on its side, with the last trailer swinging around and crashing into the cab of the stationary truck.  The driver of the stationary truck reversed his truck to get out of harms way as the other truck fell over and forced the train to a halt.  The drivers of both trucks were fortunately not injured, although the Mziki driver was taken to hospital for observation.    
“We warned Rotran that this would happen, fortunately no one was seriously injured, but it is unnecessary damages caused.  We are very concerned, as the behaviour of some truck drivers are nothing short of negligent,” Mr Athol Stark, Provincial Chairman of the Road Safety Council, said at the accident scene.  AS