Watch: Truck rams into houses, driver critically injured

Two families in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria are undoubtedly in for a gloomy festive season after a delivery truck crashed into their houses, rendering them essentially homeless.

While the exact circumstances remain unclear, it is believed that on Friday, 18 December 2020, the driver, who was delivering bricks and sand nearby, was speeding when he eventually lost control of the vehicle and wound-up ramming into two houses.

One of the homeowners was at work during the incident.

Two people hospitalised after truck slams into homes

Both the driver and a passenger sustained severe injuries and were subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. While the driver has since been released, the passenger is still recovering from head wounds.

A clip of the scene was widely circulated on social media, showing the partially wrecked houses and shocked community members who immediately flocked and called for help.

A neighbour who rushed to the scene and witnessed the aftermath told The South African:

“I was in the kitchen when I saw the truck speeding downhill. The next thing I heard were the two crashes, when he hit the first house then the second,” the woman said.

“It was actually his lucky day (for homeowner). He was off from work but was called in to do some overtime. Can you imagine if he had stayed?”

The witness said they had reached out to Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko for assistance, who in turn advised them to speak to a local ward councillor.