Two-taxi collision backs up traffic

Traffic on the busy Jakes Gerwel Drive was backed up during peak hours yesterday morning when two taxis collided with each other leaving multiple passengers injured.

The accident took place at 6.40am on Jakes Gerwel Drive between the R300 and Oliver Tambo Drive, Philippi.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg referred enquiries to the City of Cape Town’s Traffic Service Spokesperson.

When Daily Voice reached out to the City for comment regarding this incident, Maxine Bezuidenhout, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town Traffic Service confirmed the accident and said that: “The City’s Traffic Service confirms that officers attended to the accident scene at 6.40am [on Wednesday].

“Injuries recorded by traffic officers included one serious injury and seven slight injuries. Officers cleared the accident scene at 8.03am.”

Images of the dented taxis at the crime scene emerged on social media with one image showing the back of one taxi dented in and the back window completely out. 

Another image shows the front of the taxi with the bumper damaged and off while the vehicles stood on the white line.

An eyewitness commented on the Facebook post saying: “Hope the people [are] all OK in the two taxis, [the accident] happened in front of me, they were both driving like maniacs.”

Jakes Gerwel Drive is notoriously known for its accidents with the most recent serious accident occurring on Sunday, 23 March when ten people including a child was injured in a multi vehicle crash.

A drunk taxi driver crashed into four vehicles where passengers including a child sustained minor injuries.

The accident took place on Jakes Gerwel Drive and Viking Way Intersection where nine taxi passengers and the child from another vehicle sustained minor injuries. The taxi driver was arrested for drunk driving and reckless and negligent driving.

On 5 March Belville South police registered a case of culpable homicide for further investigation after three people were killed and 11 rushed to hospital after a taxi collided with a car the morning of 5 March after 8am.

Traffic was heavily backed up on Robert Sobukwe Road between Radnor Street and Symphony after a quantum taxi carrying passengers collided with a blue Kia.