What went wrong?

Date: 19 December 2016 By: Isabel Venter

A man’s fun-ride on a quad bike through the streets of Louis Trichardt turned into a nightmare when he slammed into a palisade fence.

“I heard a loud crash, followed by screams,” said Mr Brain Mpofu. He was working in his employee’s garden in Apie Street on Thursday afternoon, when the accident occurred.

The 32-year-old quad bike driver lost control of the bike and crashed through the fence headfirst. A resident who lives close by recalls seeing the man travelling at a high speed in a southern direction and wondering if the man would be able to stop at the T-junction with Waterbessie Street. Shockingly, neither the man, nor the two young boys seated behind him on the bike, were wearing crash helmets.

Sure enough, the man had too much speed and too little brakes. The wet road surface also didn’t help much and the man skidded across Waterbessie Street, colliding with the fence.

Since the man was not wearing a crash helmet, his head got wedged between two of the fence’s iron bars. Residents who heard the man’s bloodcurdling screams rushed to his aid. They found him precariously dangling from the fence with his feet barely touching the ground. “I don’t want to imagine what would have happened if the man got flung over the fence and got stuck in the spikes,” said the neighbour. 

Using another iron bar, the fence was forced open to free the man. As he was lowered to the ground, he lost consciousness. A short time later, he was rushed to hospital by ambulance. Miraculously, the two young boys that were seated behind the man escaped without injury and, with the help of some more young friends, started pushing the quad bike home.

A spokesperson for the Makhado Police, Const Irene Radzilane, confirmed on Wednesday that the police are investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving against the man. His name and condition could not, at the time of going to press, be confirmed.   

Despite the severe head injuries the man had sustained, eye witnesses and neighbours did not have a lot of sympathy for the man. According to them this quad bike is one of five that continuously race up and down in their neighbourhood, terrorising everyone. The young drivers are also frequently seen driving without helmets to the nearby park opposite Spar. Irrespective of not wearing a helmet, the use of a quad bike on a road is illegal as it is classified as an off-road vehicle “It is reckless and illegal. We have complained to police about these young men on numerous occasions, but nothing has been done,” said the neighbours.

Viewed: 7056

Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

More photos... 

The wrecked quad bike. 

The 32-year-old man that was driving the quad bike, shortly after his head was freed from the palisade fence.

The 32-year-old man that was driving the quad bike, shortly after his head was freed from the palisade fence.

Neighbours who heard the man’s bloodcurdling screams rushed to his aid. They used another iron bar to force open the fence to free the man. Photo supplied.

Miraculously, the two young boys that were seated behind the man escaped without injury and, with the help of some more young friends, started pushing the quad bike home. Photo supplied.