TWO drivers and a man narrowly escaped death when a Mercedes- Benz Sprinter taxi and a Toyota double-cab bakkie they were travelling in collided head-on.
The two vehicles were reportedly avoiding a pothole on Manyeleti road in Cottondale, near Andover Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga on Monday at about 5pm.
Shocked Jerry Ndlovu (30) said he got a call from one of the bystanders telling him that his brother Vriando (42) has been involved in a horrible crash.
Vriando, who was in the taxi, bakkie driver Lonely Mnisi (36) and his passenger Bheki Sambo (25) were trapped in the vehicles as the taxi was burning.
“We are thankful to the bystanders and motorists who saved our brother from the burning taxi and rushed him to Tintswalo Hospital. He sustained severe head injuries and multiple fractures to his arms,” said Jerry.
“The potholes are very bad on this road. We call on government to fix the road before we lose lives.”
Lonely’s dad, Sam Mnisi (55) from Hluvukani, said: “We are praying to God to save Bheki’s life as he is badly injured. My son also had severe injuries and his car was totally destroyed.”
Captain Mpho Nonyane said they were investigating a case of careless and negligent driving.