DURBAN, kwaZulu-Natal – Difficulty in consulting the families of 24 people killed or fatally injured when a truck careered through a busy traffic-lights controlled intersection led on Friday (Oct 24 2014) to the Durban High Court case against the driver being postponed.
Judge Shyam Giyanda postponed the case involving Sanele Goodness May to November 28 2014 when prosecutor Alistair Walters told the court "we are taking some time to get hold of everybody to get their input".
RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC
May had been expected to plead guilty to 24 counts of culpable homicide but, in terms of the law, when any plea-bargain deal is struck the state is required to consult the victims' families.
On the evening of September 5 2014, in rush-hour traffic, May's truck collided with four minibus taxis and two cars at the crossroads at the bottom of Fields Hill, Pinetown.
Twenty-two people died at the scene, two more in hospital.
May has been in custody ever since. He was denied bail by the Pinetown Magistrate's Court.
He was at originally charged with 24 murders but this was changed to 24 of culpable homicide.