Biker stable after surgery
2005-04-11 12:44
Johannesburg - A Pretoria man, who was injured after a motorist drove into a group of motorcycles, was on Monday in stable condition after surgery.
Karin Lindeque, spokesperson for Unitas Hospital in Pretoria, said the man - who did not want to be named - underwent surgery to his ankle.
He was one of six people injured when a motorist drove into about 35 Harley Davidson motorcycles on the N1 highway south of Pretoria.
"The biker from Pretoria had surgery to his ankle. He is in the orthopaedic ward and is doing well and is expected to be discharged by the end of the week," said Lindeque.
Lindeque said the other patients, who suffered minor injuries, were admitted, but discharged after treatment. One of them was a six-year-old boy.
Cellphone
Johan Pieterse, spokesperson for the Tswane emergency services, told Beeld that, according to witnesses, the driver was talking on his cellphone when the accident happened.
Pieterse said: "He drove into the barricade on the right-hand side, lost control of the vehicle and ploughed into the motorcycles."
Debbie and Deon Naudé were right behind the motorcycles when the accident happened.
"I saw two motorbikes sliding across the road and people rolling from the central lane to the side of the road.
"My husband had to brake hard, else we would have gone over them," she said.
Alfred Shaku, driver of the vehicle, was slightly injured.
He alleged that some of the bikers attacked him after the accident.
He said: "They hit me against the ground and kicked me in the head. Another man intervened. He saved my life."
- SAPA