Footage Surfaces of Vehicle Involved in Deadly KZN Crash That Killed 8 Stocked With Alcohol

• Video material has surfaced showing a group of youngsters moments before a horrific accident on the N2 Mandeni
• A deadly car crash on the route between Bridges 17 and 19 claimed the lives of eight people on Friday, 11 October 2024
• Social media users reacted to the clip, with some expressing sadness, while others hit out at the ills of drunk driving

MANDENI – Footage of the moments before a horrific wreckage in which eight youngsters were killed on the route between Bridges 17 and 19 on the N2 Mandeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal has surfaced.

The video, posted on the @VehicleTrackerz X page late on Friday night, 11 October 2024, more than 12 hours after the accident, shows a group of excited youth, including six high school pupils, bragging about their stash of alcohol.

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Footage of alcohol-stocked crash vehicle

Depicting six-packs and boxes of Heineken and other alcohol brands, it seemed to highlight the possible cause of the then-later fatal crash.

According to reports, the driver of the seven-seater vehicle veered into the oncoming lane, where they collided with a truck, causing their car to overturn.

In the aftermath, emergency medical services declared eight people dead at the scene while transporting one critical person to hospital.

In the 52-second clip, filmed by one of the youths, they are seen conversing, and some appear to be brushing their hair and showing off their shoes.

The camera pans to one of them, who can be heard responding to the other person's remark about getting ready to head out to a party.

"Mr Party! Usalunga uMr Party, usageza? (You're freshening up getting ready, Mr Party)," said the youngster.

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At another point, one of them is heard saying:

"Beze no Mkhwanazi (they can come with [KZN Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla] Mkhwanazi)."

One person can be seen in the back seat of the car with alcohol in their hands as the person filming zooms in on the copious volume of alcohol.

Tragedy strikes emotional chord

The clip garnered over 370,000 views within 12 hours of posting and attracted a flood of reactions and comments.

Briefly News takes a look at the impassioned responses.

@XekiHlongwane wrote:

"So sad. May the families be comforted. Alcohol is destroying us."

@Ed_UberDriver said:

"When you drink and drive, get involved in an accident, then you perish, it's a good thing. It's only sad when you take innocent road users with you."

@Mzwa_Mageba added

"Now that I have seen their faces, this hurts even more! Condolences to their families."

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In related news, Briefly News reported that a head-on collision between an SUV and a bakkie claimed 12 lives near Greytown.

Eleven 11 people were pronounced dead at the scene, raising the death toll to 12 after one other person died in hospital on Sunday, 1 September.

Source: Briefly News