KNYSNA NEWS - Three Bongani residents are counting their blessings after escaping unscathed when a car crashed into their informal dwelling in the early hours of Sunday morning, 21 June, razing the structure to the ground.
The incident occurred at about 05:30 when the vehicle reportedly veered off the road and ploughed right through the shack where three women were sleeping, coming to a standstill against another shack.
Despite the force of the impact and the complete destruction of the structure, all three were unharmed.
Homeowner Simphiwe Falithenjwa (Wanda), who had been providing accommodation to the women, described the incident as a miracle. "The three girls were sleeping inside the house," he said.
"When I spoke to them afterwards, they said they heard the sound of a vehicle before the crash, but everything happened so fast they could not fully understand what was happening."
He said that he arrived at the scene to find the structure completely destroyed. One woman suffered a minor scratch to her ear and complained of neck pain. She was taken to hospital by ambulance as a precaution and discharged later the same day.
However, according to the reports, the occupants of the vehicle were not as fortunate. At least three people were reportedly travelling in the car.
One passenger, who was trapped, had to be freed by emergency services and was taken to George Hospital with serious injuries. Wanda alleged that the driver appeared intoxicated and fled the scene before police could take a statement.
He also claimed another injured passenger ran away. "The driver left the scene and another injured passenger also ran away. The man who was trapped was badly injured and could not feel anything from his waist down when paramedics removed him," he alleged.
No arrests had been made at the time of publication. Wanda criticised the police response, saying he felt more should have been done to follow up on the driver who fled.
He also alleged that belongings were looted from the scene in the aftermath, with the losses only discovered the following day after the initial shock had subsided. The crash left the occupants effectively homeless and reliant on support from family and the community.
Wanda appealed to the Knysna Municipality to install guardrails and speed humps in the area, noting that this was the fourth time that this kind of accident had occurred.
Police were approached for comment regarding the crash, allegations of intoxication, and the reported looting.
Southern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Chris Spies said Knysna Police have opened a reckless and negligent driving docket relating to this incident.
"Reports available indicate that police responded to a scene where a vehicle left the road. On arrival they found the vehicle on top of a shack with one occupant. The occupant was taken to hospital by ambulance," he said.
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