Grahamstown auctioneer and farm land agent, Andrew Hutchinson, is possibly the only person who witnessed the terrifying sight of a large truck going off the road and plunging over the side of Bloukranz Pass earlier this week.
Grahamstown auctioneer and farm land agent, Andrew Hutchinson, is possibly the only person who witnessed the terrifying sight of a large truck going off the road and plunging over the side of Bloukranz Pass earlier this week.
Hutchinson was visiting a farm in the area when he saw the truck lose control.
“It happened so quickly,” Hutchinson said. “That truck just went straight over the edge.”
Describing accident, he said it occurred about halfway down the pass on the Grahamstown side.
“As it came around the corner there was a cloud of dust and a screeching of metal. Next thing it was over the edge and disappeared into the bushes.”
It happened so fast, he couldn’t say any more than that it was a big truck.
“It must have been big because I was on a hillside 2km away and it was loud.”
He immediately phoned the emergency services.
Police confirmed that a 26 ton, horse and trailer – which they described as exceptionally long – with two occupants, went off the road on the Grahamstown side of the Bloukrantz Pass around midday on Tuesday 16 June.
It fell 80m.
They further confirmed that the passenger jumped out as the truck went down, but that the driver had to be removed from the cab and hoisted out.
Police spokesperson, Mali Govender, said that both passengers survived.
The Bloukranz Pass is flanked by reserves – land owned by the national government.
Martindale farmer, Leonie Yendall, says they’re known as ‘outspan reserves’ – “possibly from Settler times”.
The pool near to where the truck landed is a sacred one, used for traditional Xhosa ceremonies.
