A tragic accident that in which two people were killed, led residents to barricade one of the busiest roads in Mfuleni, which, in turn, led to three more injuries the following day.
On Saturday, while the residents were protesting, a car drove into a ditch dug by the demonstrators and got stuck.
While five men were trying to push it out, they were hit by a speeding car, leaving three injured.
The demonstration followed an accident that left two people dead on Old Faure Road in Covid-19 informal settlement on Friday morning.
Shack owner Monica Baliman says: “I was at home when I heard a loud bang and then I heard another. I got out of my shack, I saw a car crashing into my neighbour’s home before another hit my shack and car.
“People died in that accident, we are lucky that nothing happened to us.
“Our homes were destroyed but the taxi owner whose car was involved in the accident helped us with some material to rebuild our homes.”
The community members said the anger started building last Monday when a man was hit by a car and died, the following day a taxi making a U-turn drove into someone’s shack.
Gatvol residents closed the road in protest for speed humps.
On Sunday afternoon, residents were still protesting, burning tyres and installed a makeshift speed hump.
Community leader Anele Mpiti said: “We know the road belongs to Sanral, but every day someone is killed on it, especially on weekends, where we normally have two or three bodies.
“Recently a man was hit by a taxi which ended up driving into a hokkie. No one came out for that. The people are angry about these road deaths.
“We want our councillor to come out and address us and listen to our complaints, but he hasn’t come to us.
“He must come up with solutions because people are fed up, and they ended up making their speed humps and have dug [out] the tar road because they don’t want any more accidents.
“This also reminded people of the three school children who were knocked down on the same stretch between Mew Way and Spine Road.
“Even after that, nothing happened – no authorities came to us. It is simple, we need speed humps amongst other services.”
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said Mfuleni SAPS opened a culpable homicide docket for further investigation following the accident on Friday.
He reports: “Preliminary information suggests that the driver of a Quantum minibus lost control of the vehicle when he allegedly overtook and collided with the side of the LDV, causing him to veer of the road.
“He plunged through a few shacks alongside the road and hit two stationary vehicles.
“The 35-year-old driver of the taxi died on the scene due to injuries sustained. A few of the passengers who sustained minor injuries were transported to a medical facility for treatment.
“Meanwhile the driver of the LDV, an Isuzu bakkie, also lost control and collided with a station wagon. The 25-year-old driver of the station wagon also died on the scene.”