Another pedestrian dies after being hit by a SUV on the R21 freeway in Ekurhuleni

A pedestrian died on the R21 freeway in Ekurhuleni when he was hit by a Haval sport utility vehicle (SUV), the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) said.

On Wednesday night, the EMPD’s freeway unit officers responded to the scene of a crash involving a pedestrian on the R21 freeway direction north, between Engen One Stop filling station and the Olifantsfontein off-ramp.

“The EMPD officers found a motionless body of an unknown male in his late 30s, lying on the verge of the roadway next to his blue bag carrying a lunch box. He was covered in a space blanket. Medical experts were busy declaring the deceased pedestrian, and next to them, there was a damaged white Haval sport utility vehicle,” said EMPD spokesperson Marie Mashishi.

She said the shell-shocked motorist, in his late 30s, did not sustain any visible injuries.

“It is not clear at this stage what actually occurred before the crash, but a case of culpable homicide has been registered at the Olifantsfontein police station for further investigations,” said Mashishi.

“The flow of traffic was heavily affected and the EMPD officers started doing point duty - controlling traffic.”

In December, another case of culpable homicide was investigated when a 35-year-old man died on the R21 freeway in Kempton Park after he was hit by a Ford Ranger double cab vehicle.

At the time, spokesperson for the EMPD, Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa said the pedestrian was certified dead on the scene.

“The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department’s freeway patrol unit officers responded to a crash on the R21 freeway, direction south, between R23/Benoni on-ramp and the Pomona off-ramp, in Kempton Park area, where a 35-year-old male pedestrian succumbed to his injuries after he was knocked over by a light delivery vehicle,” said Thepa.

“On arrival, officers found the motionless body covered in a space blanket, occupying the middle lane, next to the damaged white Ford Ranger light delivery vehicle. The medical expert on site, declared the pedestrian dead on the scene.”

Thepa said the man who was driving the Ford Ranger was alone in the vehicle, and did not sustain any visible injuries from the crash. He was, however, treated for shock by paramedics on site.

IOL