Four members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) suffered serious injuries, which included multiple leg fractures, after a military vehicle known as a Samil 20, overturned along the Wasbank Road, in the Mwela Wela area.
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise, wished the five SANDF members injured in the crash a speedy recovery. The dirt road which turns off along the N11, towards Wasbank was closed off by military officials, KZNEMS, ER24 Ladysmith, Innovamed Private and the Fire and Rescue Unit from Alfred Duma Municipality. It is alleged that the Samil 20 was travelling along the dirt road and when crossing a 7-metre-high bridge, lost control and crashed.
The driver of the vehicle was entrapped, while other passengers managed to crawl from the collapsed metal mangled wreck that had fallen on its roof, among rocks and in half-metre deep water from a local ‘spruit’. The driver’s lower body had been entrapped by the metal and members of the Fire and Rescue Unit from Alfred Duma Municipality had to utilise the jaws of life to free the entrapped driver. While other soldiers were being stabilised and treated before being carried to awaiting ambulances along the shore of the spruit.
Military police told The Ladysmith Herald that they could not comment on the accident as an investigation needs to be done into the crash. Two soldiers were rushed to the hospital. Officials on the scene said that the soldiers all sustained serious injuries to their legs. It is reported that the military vehicle was on its way to Ladysmith were the military gather for training at Boshhoek, situated in the area.
