GEORGE NEWS - A 25-year-old man was killed on the N2 between the Pacaltsdorp Fire Station and Thembalethu at about 17:30 on Monday 23 March, having been struck by a small truck.

Several who posted their initial reactions on social media assumed that the pedestrian had crossed the highway illegally, and directed blame at him. 

However, eyewitness accounts suggest this was not the case. 

According to a witness, who spoke to George Herald on condition of anonymity, the man had been walking with a group along the yellow lane in the direction of Thembalethu when the accident occurred. 

The witness explained that the truck’s rear “container-type canopy” had an open door, which struck the pedestrian on the head as the vehicle drove past.

Following a Facebook post about the incident, many readers criticised pedestrians for crossing the highway unsafely, while others voiced frustration with law enforcement for not patrolling this busy stretch more effectively.

According to the Southern Cape Police’s spokesperson, Warrant Officer Chris Spies, the Conville Police opened a culpable homicide docket. 

“Emergency personnel were summoned to the scene. On arrival, they found a 25-year-old man who had sustained multiple injuries. The paramedics declared him dead on the scene,” he said.

Spies did not elaborate on the cause of the accident.

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