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JOHAN DE KLERK, whose wife and daughter died after their car was crushed by a truck that overturned on the N1 last Wednesday, would have celebrated his 24th wedding anniversary with his wife yesterday (Monday).

His wife Karen (41) and daughter Erika (18) had left their Summer Greens home and were on their way to Somerset Hospital in the family's Toyota Cressida when tragedy struck on Wednesday.

Erika, a matriculant at Bosmansdam High School, was four and-a-half months pregnant. She was on her way to undergo a scan that would determine the gender of her baby.

The car carrying the two women approached the Koeberg Interchange at about 06:15. Maitland police say that as they passed the off-ramp from Table Bay Boulevard, the driver of an RB Carriers container truck, transporting thousands of litres of wine, lost control of his vehicle.

The truck overturned and the container crushed the Cressida next to it.

Emergency workers toiled for hours to lift the container so that the two bodies could be removed from the wreck.

Traffic on the N1 and other routes into the city came to a standstill for up to six hours.

During this time, explains Hendrik Swart, Johan de Klerk's friend and colleague, De Klerk had tried calling his daughter and wife on their cellphones after not hearing anything from them after 08:00.

"Johan was wondering if something had gone wrong because his wife hadn't yet called him from the hospital. He was excited to know if they had found out if it was a boy or a girl. It was their first grandchild," says Swart.

One call and a subsequent visit from a Maitland police officer to Johan de Klerk's place of work in Epping confirmed his worst fears: the two women involved in the accident were his wife and daughter.

A case of culpable homicide has been opened against the driver of the truck, who escaped serious injury in the accident. The driver, a Ravensmead man, is expected to offer a statement to police this week.

Searle Johannes, the city's spokesperson for Traffic Services, says that in the past other vehicles have overturned at the sharply curving off-ramp at the Koeberg Interchange.

"Clearly this is the result of driver error. There is sufficient signage warning drivers of the sharp bend and there is also a barrier on the bend itself, as well as several signs on the barrier.

"There are two signs warning you of the bend as you approach. Heavy-duty drivers must know the load they are transporting and consider where they are driving and if it is likely to shift."

Johannes also identified speed as a major cause of accidents at the site in the past.

Support from Capetonians for the De Klerk family has been "amazing", Swart told People's Post at the weekend. A local radio station has launched a campaign to provide assistance to Johan de Klerk and his 21-year-old sole survi?ving daughter.

"People have been so generous. Avbob has offered to cover the funeral costs and the family has been given a bakkie to use until the funeral. A caterer and florist have also offered their services to the family and someone even gave them a car," says Swart.

Although the venue is yet to be confirmed, the funeral will be held on Friday.

Anyone who saw the accident can phone Detective Inspector Aubrey Uys at the Maitland Police station on (021) 511-4576 or 082 642 1231.

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