Taxi driver in PE knocks down student (update)

kilos

kilos

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Another student now brain dead due to reckless & drunk taxi driver, this is an update on the
students condition
The Herald article (pasted it as they do not archive their old articles)
THE young university student who was critically injured when he was knocked off his bicycle by a taxi has taken a turn for the worse and there were fears last night that he could be brain-dead.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University first-year student Jason Kruger, 20, of Sedgefield, was run down at a crossing near the university last week, sparking an outcry against reckless taxi drivers.

Jason‘s father, Zwaai Kruger, said last night: “He is still in a critical condition. We will only know later if he is brain-dead. The family is still waiting for a doctor‘s confirmation.”

Last week, another man was critically injured after being hit by a taxi.

Mzimkhulu Socenywa, 39, of Kwazakhele, is still in a coma after he was knocked down and dragged five metres – allegedly by a drunk and unlicensed taxi driver – in Njoli Square.

Family spokesman Mthetheleli Socenywa said last night: “Doctors say there is no progress and he is still in a critical condition.”

Earlier yesterday, an inspection was held at the site of the university accident to address the ongoing problem of reckless taxi drivers.

DA councillor Gustav Rautenbach told onlookers at the site inspection that Kruger‘s condition had deteriorated.

“One dead person (Vanessa Baldwin, who was hit by a taxi and died eight years ago) is more than enough, but now we are sitting with a situation where the other student is brain-dead,” he said.

Rautenbach then urged municipal officials, the university and security officers to “stop the lip service” and start installing traffic lights, speed restriction humps and traffic circles, and to deploy more traffic officers at the three “danger points” at the access road to the university‘s main campus.

Cape Recife High School principal Mike Nel said a barrier to block vehicles from driving over the pavement between University Way and the school in Admiralty Way was also needed.

Municipal safety and security director Howard Hans said more traffic officers and police would be sent to monitor the whole area with effect from today.

Another meeting, to include taxi associations, will be held on Tuesday. This will look at the installation of speed humps before the pedestrian crossing between the university and the student village as well as traffic lights and a traffic circle at the intersection of Admiralty Way and University Way.

University spokesman Roslyn Baatjies said: “The thoughts and prayers of the NMMU community are with Jason Kruger‘s parents and siblings.”
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instead of a Gun Free Society how about a Taxi Free Society and warning stickers on the sides of the taxis like on cigarettes.
 
their vehicles should be hard limited to max 60km/p
 
He has sadly since then passed away.

Taxi victim dies, but he brings hope to others

Brian Hayward

PORT Elizabeth university student Jason Kruger, 20, who was run down by a taxi on Tuesday last week and declared brain-dead on Thursday night, was kept alive yesterday afternoon until a specialist team of doctors could recover his vital organs for transplant purposes.

Kruger, of Sedgefield, was on the road to recovery after a taxi knocked him off his bicycle at a pedestrian crossing near the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University when he suddenly took a turn for the worse this week.

After being knocked down he was dragged about 30 metres before the taxi came to a stop.

Greenacres Hospital spokesman Adele Kennedy said doctors from Cape Town were flown in to help with the organ harvesting process.

“His parents (Carrie and Zwaai) agreed to organ procurement. They are, of course, very distressed,” said Kennedy.

One Eastern Cape recipient had already been identified.

Police will now change the charges against the driver accused of running Kruger down, Luthando Bonkolo, 39, who appeared in court last week. He now faces charges of culpable homicide, drunk driving and reckless and negligent driving.

But despite the horrific accident which came just days after the eighth anniversary of the death of student Vanessa Baldwin, whose motorcycle collided with a taxi near NMMU in 2001, reckless driving by taxi operators continues unabated.

Yesterday, Stephen Johnson, 28, was admitted to Greenacres Hospital after a taxi knocked him off his motorcycle in North End. He sustained minor injuries.

On Friday last week, Mzimkhulu Socenywa, 39, was knocked down in Njoli Square and dragged along five metres allegedly by a drunk and unlicensed taxi driver. He is still in a coma.

In Pretoria yesterday, residents protested outside the Union Buildings against reckless taxi drivers after the death last month of Bernadine Kruger, 16, who was killed, allegedly by a taxi, while riding to school on a scooter.
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just signed the petition on your post Necuno and i agree with your post.
 
Many years ago I worked at a law firm assisting in the MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident) Department in submitting Road Accident Fund claims. The number of accidents involving taxis were staggering. About 60% of the firm's MVA clients were victims of an accident involving a taxi.

Accidents involving people in townships were very prevalent. These accidents don't make the press so I believe that the problem is a lot worse than being reported. If newspapers want to show how much these taxis are costing us, they could easily contact some of SA's top law firms and get statistics from them. The Road Accident Fund could also provide us with a figure of what they are paying to these victims on an annual basis.

I pray that the DA pushes this matter further as the ANC are certainly doing jack squat about it. We have turned a blind eye on taxis for way too long and it is high time that the Government throws the book at these thugs.
 
That is very sad.

I see the press still insist on using alleged:
In Pretoria yesterday, residents protested outside the Union Buildings against reckless taxi drivers after the death last month of Bernadine Kruger, 16, who was killed, allegedly by a taxi, while riding to school on a scooter.
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Necuno said:
their vehicles should be hard limited to max 60km/p
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I think speed is not the problem. It's the way they take chances and skip stop streets and traffic lights and take gaps they shouldn't and stop wherever they like.
 
Slootvreter said:
I think speed is not the problem. It's the way they take chances and skip stop streets and traffic lights and take gaps they shouldn't and stop wherever they like.
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Correct, it is their absolute disrespect of all the rules of the road and other road users, although is would not hurt to hard limited these buggers.
 
BigAl-sa said:
That is very sad.

I see the press still insist on using alleged:
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It's to avoid any possible legal repercussions from the accused, should the case be dropped or they be found innocent. Defamation of character and all that...

But yeah it allegedly pi$$es me off too. :sick:
 
Another meeting, to include taxi associations, will be held on Tuesday. This will look at the installation of speed humps before the pedestrian crossing between the university and the student village as well as traffic lights and a traffic circle at the intersection of Admiralty Way and University Way.
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That's all good and dandy, but that doesn't solve the problem of the negligent taxi drivers.
 
Lycanthrope said:
That's all good and dandy, but that doesn't solve the problem of the negligent taxi drivers.
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In fact it now provides a nifty ramp to air-vault students, instead of just punting them forward at high speed. :confused:

Either that or an excuse to drive on the sidewalk. :sick:
 
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