A scenic drive along Cape Town’s iconic Chapman’s Peak ended in tragedy on Sunday morning when a car veered off the road and plummeted approximately 100 metres down a cliff onto the rocks below. The driver, a 47-year-old man, succumbed to his injuries in hospital, prompting police to upgrade the case to culpable homicide.
The incident occurred just after 9 am on the Noordhoek side of the drive. The vehicle, which appears to have been a VW Golf GTI, went over the edge on the seaside of the notorious mountain pass. The seriously injured driver was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital but later died from his injuries.
Investigation Focuses on Driver’s Position
Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that the charge was changed from reckless and negligent driving to culpable homicide as investigations continue. “The individual who was driving is subject to police investigations,” Van Wyk stated, explaining that the change is partly to establish “where the person was sitting” at the time of the accident.
No further details were released, with police stating the circumstances are still under investigation. The road was temporarily closed but reopened after a few hours.
A Notoriously Dangerous Pass
Chapman’s Peak Drive has been the site of several serious accidents over the years. In March 2021, a woman died and a man was critically injured when their vehicle fell 200 metres off the pass. The route, while breathtakingly beautiful, demands extreme caution from motorists.
Separate KwaZulu-Natal Scholar Transport Crash
In unrelated but similarly distressing news, at least nine schoolchildren were injured in a school transport accident in the Glenwood area of Durban on Monday afternoon. According to ALS Paramedics, a taxi carrying scholars home T-boned a bakkie on Lena Ahrens Road. The cause of that collision is also under investigation.
For the family of the Chapman’s Peak victim, the stunning coastal view will forever be marred by loss. The incident serves as another stark reminder of the fine margin for error on one of South Africa’s most spectacular, and perilous, roads.
