Another collision on Eisleben Road leaves nine injured

A collision at the corner of Morgenster Road and Eisleben Road left nine people injured today, Tuesday, December 9.

Reports from the scene indicate that a black Toyota Yaris and a police van were involved in the collision, leaving two women, five men, and two police officers injured.

Provincial police spokesperson Captain F.C. Van Wyk said Lentegeur police registered a case of reckless and negligent driving following the accident.

According to witnesses who were on the scene, the police vehicle was coming from Pollsmoor Prison en route to Philippi Magistrates' Court when it collided with the Toyota.

One woman and five men were slightly injured and taken to a nearby medical facility for treatment under police guard. All prisoners were accounted for, and the rest were taken to court,” Captain Van Wyk said.

The injured driver of the Toyota, a woman pedestrian, and two police members were also transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, he said.

This is the second collision on Eisleben Road in Mitchell’s Plain in 20 days, following a fatal multi-vehicle crash on Wednesday, November 19, in which Angelo Adams was killed while on his way to work. That incident involved 11 injuries (“11 injured and one killed in Woodlands car crash,” Plainsman November 20; “Community rallies to honour Angelo ‘Elo’ Adams after fatal Eisleben Road crash,” Plainsman November 26).

Arisen Women Foundation director Chantal Scoble, who was at the scene, said her colleague, the nurse who was one of the women injured in the collision, had just turned onto Morgenster Road when the police van struck her vehicle. “It was a frightening moment. The car was dragged, and we feared the worst,” Ms Scoble said.

Programme manager Gaynor Dankers said the organisation was shocked to learn of the accident. “She called us to say she had been in an accident. We were preparing to host a lunch for our support staff at 11am, and the accident happened around 9.15am,” Ms Dankers said.

Foundation administrator Gayslo-Ann Nomdo described arriving at the scene. “Our colleague was already in an ambulance, along with another woman. From what bystanders told us, the other patient may have sustained more severe injuries. Both were injured, but the full extent of their injuries is not yet clear,” Ms Nomdo said.

Ms Nomdo said photographs were taken at the scene, and while police were approached for guidance, limited information was provided.

“This is our colleague, and at that moment, we were acting as her family. She has been taken to the hospital, and we are still awaiting details on her condition,” she said.

She said the accident could have been fatal if there had been a passenger in the car. The nurse, a qualified nursing sister, was on her way to attend clients, and alternative arrangements have been made to ensure services continue while she recovers.

City’s mayoral committee member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas, highlighted safety concerns at the intersection. “The intersection was signalised in December 2023.

Since January last year, there have been eight incidents here. Our records reflect these were caused by poor driver behaviour—ignoring stop or yield signs, unsafe following distances, entering traffic unsafely, or ignoring the red light,” Mr Quintas said.

He said Eisleben Road is a higher-order mobility route designed to facilitate traffic flow for a high volume of vehicles and does not qualify for traffic calming measures under the City’s policy.

No further traffic control measures are planned at this location.

The last request for safety improvements at this intersection led to the installation of the traffic signal in December 2023, following an assessment that deemed the stop-controlled intersection unsafe, he said. 

The circumstances surrounding the collision remain under investigation, said Captain Van Wyk.