Mpumalanga acting MEC for community safety, security and liaison Speedy Mashilo is saddened by the death of a traffic official who was killed while executing her duties.
Jeanette Mlangeni died after she was hit by a light delivery vehicle on the R544 Road between Emalahleni and Kriel in Mpumalanga on Monday.
Moeti Mmusi, spokesperson for the department, said Mlangeni noticed that the driver of the delivery vehicle was allegedly overtaking dangerously. She indicated to him to stop but was hit by the same vehicle.
Mashilo has sent condolences to the bereaved family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased and called on motorists to respect law-enforcement officers, saying they are on the roads to save lives, not to make life hard for motorists.
“Although the incident is under investigation, we believe, with great caution on the part of motorists, such gruesomeness could have been avoided,” said Mashilo.
“The motorists must respect law-enforcement officers and the rules of the road at all times. This will help in reducing road crashes and fatalities.”
This is the second traffic official in Mpumalanga to die while on duty since the start of the year. In January, a truck driver was arrested and charged with culpable homicide after he killed a traffic officer.
The officer, Gijimane July Nkabinde, was hit by the truck along the N4 toll road.
The department said at the time that the incident took place while Nkabinde was on duty at the Middelburg weighbridge. It is alleged that he was directing the truck to the weighbridge situated along the road when the incident occurred.
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