A 28-year-old Burundian who worked as a motorcycle delivery guy died in an accident on Tuesday afternoon in Durban, private emergency responders confirmed.
It was his first day on the job.
The 28-year-old was hit by a black Mini Cooper while he was making a sharp U-turn on North Coast Road in Woodview, Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) said.
Just after lunch on Tuesday, a passer-by who saw the scene called Rusa for assistance.
“Rusa members were immediately dispatched, and on arrival, they discovered the fatally injured biker lying several metres away from his Big Boy 125cc motorcycle.
“His work colleagues arrived on scene and informed reaction officers that the deceased was conducting grocery deliveries for a supermarket. Today was his first day at work,” Rusa said.
The driver of the Mini Cooper told Rusa he was travelling behind the motorcycle from Phoenix to Ottawa, north of the CBD, when the 28-year-old made a sudden U-turn.
The car’s driver was unable to stop in time and hit the motorbike.
The Mini Cooper driver did not sustain injuries, but the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged.
While the issue of foreign nationals in South Africa is a sensitive topic in the context of crime and employment, delivery bike drivers are arguably under-appreciated.
The job itself is dangerous, life-threatening at times, and requires you to be out in all types of weather.
Rain or sunshine, South Africans want their takeaways, groceries, or couriered items delivered, and these people leave their homes each day to make a living and bring us these items.
IOL is in the process of acquiring the deceased’s name and other personal information and will update the story.
IOL