This newspaper had earlier learnt from reliable sources that Mkhabela is suffering from a brain condition known as epilepsy and on the day of the accident, it is believed that he may have had a seizure while driving and lost control causing the car to drive into hawkers and bystanders at Schoemansdal market.

The accident has brought home the reality of the controversy which is raging in many countries surrounding the issue of whether people with epilepsy should be allowed to drive. According to Health24 and other reports on epilepsy, in South Africa at present, you are not permitted to drive if you have uncontrolled epilepsy. Apart from this, deciding whether you should drive or not is left to the individual concerned and his or her doctor. The decision is based on the type and severity of seizures, and the degree to which they are controlled.

Nkomazi department of Traffic and Road Safety said they are thoroughly investigating the situation. The office of the MEC for Roads and Transport also promised to investigate the matter.

“If the person in question is really in the condition that the community claim, then he shouldn’t have obtained his drivers license in the first place and he should not be driving at all because he is not just a danger to himself but the community at large,” said the MEC’ s office.

Meanwhile, the family of one of the victims is threatening to sue the department of Traffic.

Lifa Mkhabela