Mystery surrounds a horror crash in which a delivery van ploughed into the back of a stationary truck in Valhalla Park on Wednesday.
The 58-year-old driver died on impact when he sped into the construction lorry that was standing at a red traffic light on the corner of Valhalla and Robert Sobukwe drives.
A passenger in the delivery vehicle, who is believed to be the owner of a bompie business, was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
Video footage of the incident shows a truck from GH Building Supplies standing at the intersection when the white bakkie carrying bompies drives straight into the lorry without slowing down.
As the bakkie hurtles into the truck that was transporting building sand, the canopy is smashed and boxes of bompies spill into the road.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk says: “A culpable homicide case was registered for investigation after an accident on the corner of Valhalla Drive and Robert Sobukwe Drive towards Bellville, where a 58-year-old man was fatally injured and a 37-year-old man injured.
“The injured victim was transported to a nearby hospital for medical assistance.”
When rescue workers arrived on the scene, the mangled bakkie was stuck to the truck, while the body of the Ethiopian driver lay next to the bompies he’d been transporting from Athlone to Bellville.
Onlookers eyeing the apple bompies complained about the cops taking too long with their investigation and “that the bompies were starting to melt”.
However, another vehicle soon arrived to take the bompies to Bellville.
The brother of the injured passenger broke down in tears when he arrived at the scene.
Adamuso Abyo, who spoke on behalf of the Ethiopian business community, said the deceased was only known to them as Ali.
“We called him Ali and he is from Leiden. He is an experienced driver who did deliveries for many shops in Bellville. We are saddened by his death,” said Abyo.
He also became upset when cops started to tow the mangled bakkie away, but was told it was being taken to Stikland where it will be inspected for faulty brakes, among other faults.
GH Building Supplies managing director Quinten Smit confirmed that they were aware of the accident: “It is one of our trucks. The bakkie drove straight into our truck, which was stationary at a red traffic light. Our driver is a bit shaken up, but otherwise OK.”