KAREN KOTZE
Two people died in a head-on collision on Ou Kaapse Weg on Saturday April 2, and four others were seriously injured in the accident, which grid-locked the mountain road for a number of hours as emergency services tended to the scene.
Darren Zimmerman, director of Cape Medical Rescue, confirmed that at 3.57pm on Saturday April 2, CMR received a call for a serious motor vehicle accident on the top hair pin bend of Ou Kaapse Weg.
CMR dispatched two response cars and an ambulance. “At the scene we found two motor vehicles involved in a head-on collision. One motor vehicle had two deceased patients, who were also both trapped in the front seats. They had to be cut out by use of the Jaws Of Life,” he said.
“There were also another three passengers in a critical condition who also needed to be cut out of the wreckage.”
Mr Zimmerman said that the second car had one occupant – the driver – who was in a stable condition with minor injuries.
All patients were transported to Victoria and Groote Schuur hospitals by ambulances from ER24, CMR and Hout Bay Volunteers.
Other services also on the scene were City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue, Metro Provincial Health EMS and Rescue, City of Cape Town Traffic Services, SAPS, Life Healthcare Paramedics, City of Cape Town Law Enforcement.
Constantiaberg Bulletin journalist Karen Watkins said that traffic between the deep south and the Constantia Valley came to a stop on Saturday afternoon after the head-on collision. “Drivers made U-turns from the tailback, from the junction at Steenberg to traffic lights at Westlake Business Park. Another tailback occurred at the junction of Westlake Drive and Boyes Drive. Traffic came to a standstill on Main Road from St James to Fish Hoek and from Boyes Drive above Lakeside,” she said.
Ms Watkins was on her way to an appointment at The Emma Animal Rescue Society (TEARS), and was caught in the grid-locked traffic with scores of others, wondering what had happened.
Kirstenhof police and the Wynberg Cluster police stations were both asked for comment on the accident, but neither had responded by the time of going to print.
On Good Friday last week, staff from local restaurant Harbour House were involved in an accident. One staff member died, and five others were hurt in the incident, but are recovering.
False Bay Volunteer Emergency Medical Services and CMR worked through the night, transporting victims to hospital. However, despite the best efforts of the hospital and the medics, one man died the following day.
General manager of the Harbour House restaurant, Lynton Liou, said that the staff were heartbroken to lose their friend and colleague, waitron Tademda Sami.
The morning after the accident Mr Liou arranged counselling for his staff, and on Tuesday, April 5, a memorial was held for him at the restaurant. “His body has been sent back to Zimbabwe for burial, he is survived by his wife and two young daughters,” Mr Liou said.
“My staff have been amazing, we are one family here, and they have covered for each other and been truly supportive to one another. They have pulled together and faced this, as any family would: together,” Mr Liou said.
