Seven Houses Damaged After Driverless Truck Rolls Down Road in Umlazi

Nomfundo Khumalo Published 2 hours ago

3 min read

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Seven houses and a shack were damaged after a truck rolled down Prince Mcwayizeni Road in Umlazi, Durban, on Sunday, 18 October 2026, injuring three residents who were struck by the vehicle.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said the truck rolled down the road without a driver behind the steering wheel before crashing into the residential properties.

The three injured residents were transported to Prince Mshiyeni Hospital for medical treatment. Duma praised bystanders who acted quickly to help rescue injured residents following the incident.

Authorities tasked with locating driver and owner

Duma said the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) had been instructed to work with Durban Metro Police and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to locate the truck driver and the vehicle’s owner.

The MEC said both individuals must be held accountable for the destruction caused by the truck. Their identities had not been provided in the statement.

According to Duma, it was alleged that the driver, described in the statement as a foreign national, had been visiting another foreign national at a nearby salon when the truck began rolling down the road.

The circumstances surrounding how the truck started moving without a driver at the wheel have not been established in the information released by the MEC.

The allegation regarding the driver’s whereabouts at the time of the incident has not been independently confirmed, and no findings about responsibility have been announced.

Three residents taken to hospital

Three people were reportedly struck by the runaway truck and taken to Prince Mshiyeni Hospital.

The extent of their injuries and their condition following admission were not disclosed in the MEC’s statement.

The incident also left seven houses and a shack damaged, although the full extent of the structural damage and the estimated cost of repairs were not provided.

The statement did not specify whether residents had been displaced or whether the affected properties had been assessed for structural safety.

Bystanders praised for helping injured residents

Duma commended members of the public who responded to the incident and helped the injured residents.

He described the bystanders’ actions as quick-thinking and brave, acknowledging their role in assisting people affected by the crash.

The response by the RTI, Durban Metro Police and SAPS is expected to focus on locating the driver and owner and establishing the circumstances that led to the truck rolling down Prince Mcwayizeni Road.

The MEC has called for accountability, while the investigation is expected to establish the facts surrounding the incident and the parties responsible for the damage.

Further details about the investigation, the condition of the injured residents and the extent of the damage had not been released in the statement dated 18 October 2026.