Monday blues has a whole new meaning especially for Leticia Rametsi an OUTsurance Pointsmen who was helping traffic during peak hours on the corner of Beyers Naude Drive and Sundowner when she was struck by a taxi which left her hospitalised with a fractured skull.
A taxi was travelling in the emergency lane when it collided with a bus coming from the opposite direction, swerved out and hit the OUTsurance Pointsmen as well as another car. The driver, Kwazi Siwela, was arrested shortly after the incident and has been charged with driving whilst under the influence. The accident left 11 people injured including the driver who sustained serious injuries and needed the assistance of the Jaws of Life in order to be removed from the wreckage.
Taxis remain one of the largest means of transport in South Africa, although the Taxi Recapitalisation Programme has been put in place to help bring about safe, effective, reliable and affordable taxi operations the safety of passenger and other road users remains a challenge. According to a report by Arrive Alive a study done by the Automobile Association of South Africa recorded an annual total of 70 000 minibus taxi crashes which indicates that taxis in SA amount for double the rate of crashes than all other passenger vehicles .
This latest incident, although not unique to Johannesburg especially during peak hours, has struck a chord with motorist and fellow Pointsmen as many South African have come to rely on the assistance of Pointsmen to help alleviate traffic. True to their mission statement shortly after the incident the Pointsmen at the Beyers Naude Drive and Sundowner intersection continued to provide a professional service and helped motorist through the congestion that has been causing chaos due to traffic lights not working.