Officer killed at crash scene

2007-04-05 12:04

Durban - A traffic officer was killed when a car ploughed into an accident scene on the N2 near Ballito on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, traffic authorities said on Thursday.

Sibusiso Zulu, spokesperson for KwaDukuza municipality, said the 42-year old traffic officer was killed as he was putting up the road cones on Wednesday night at a minor accident scene where a lorry had lost its load.

Zulu said the Durban-bound lorry, which lost its load, had veered across the N2 into oncoming traffic near the offramp at Ballito. As traffic officers were setting up cones and diverting traffic, a north-bound Honda Ballade crashed through the cones, hitting Phineas "Big Boy" Magubane before ploughing into a heavy-duty tow truck. Magubane was killed instantly.

Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said three people in the car were injured, one of them seriously. All three were admitted to Alballito Hospital in Ballito.

Zulu said a case of culpable homicide had been opened with the police.

Zulu said two other KwaDukuza municipality traffic officers were being treated for trauma.

- SAPA