GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Nearly a week after violent protests held Plettenberg Bay hostage, Haydee de Doncker (56) from Port Elizabeth is still fighting for her life in the Mediclinic George. De Doncker and her husband Keith were on their way home from a family holiday in Gouritsmond, when protesters pelted their vehicle with bricks. De Doncker, who was sitting on the passenger side, sustained serious injuries when one of the bricks hit her on the side of her head.
According to her daughter Erin Burns, De Doncker sustained fractures to her face as well as a head injury when the brick that was meant for her father, who was driving, hit her mother.
"The worst is that the police directed them to take the detour where it all happened. When my father made a U-turn to get back to the police, they looked at him and said 'take her to hospital'. He doesn't know the area and had to beg the police to escort them to the nearest hospital," Burns said. The police could not confirm any arrests relating to the incident.
Three die in bus accident
The Kwanokuthula detective branch is investigating a case of culpable homicide after three people died during a bus accident on Airport Road on Friday 5 July at about 03:00. The driver was forced to use this road when the N2 was closed during the protest action. Due to the rain the road was also wet.
"Preliminary investigation into this matter indicates that the passenger bus was travelling from Cape Town to East-London when the vehicle left the road and overturned," said Spies.
Three people died on the airport road near Harkerville after they were re-routed from the N2 to a detour during the violent protest action in Plettenberg Bay last week.
The driver and two passengers sustained serious injuries and were later declared dead by paramedics on the scene. One of the deceased is a 16-year-old girl from East London.
"A total of 43 passengers were hospitalised for various injuries and 23 were taken to a nearby community centre where they received emergency assistance. Investigation into this matter is at a very early stage and the names of the deceased will be released later," said Spies.
New Horizons resident Helen Jansen (60) died after what is believed to have been prolonged inhalation of teargas, which triggered her asthma condition. It is further believed that an ambulance, which was called to assist Jansen, was delayed as a result of the protest action. Jansen died before the ambulance, which had to be escorted by police, arrived. – Additional staff reporting
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