Undocumented man arrested after truck overturns near King Shaka airport

Crash and initial response

The Operations Centre received multiple calls for assistance around 11:33am on Monday. On arrival, officers found a white Nissan diesel truck lying on its side after it had allegedly failed to navigate a sharp bend.

An undocumented Malawian national has been arrested after allegedly fleeing the scene of a truck crash on the M65 near King Shaka International Airport in La Mercy, KZN.

Authorities allege the suspect initially posed as the truck’s conductor before attempting to flee. He was… pic.twitter.com/wnBMQF3Ux6

The Instigator (@Am_Blujay) July 13, 2026

Attempts to flee and deception

A man at the scene initially identified himself as a conductor and told officers the driver had left before first responders arrived.

“The driver fled”

Moments later, Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) reported that the same man ran into nearby bushes. With the assistance of a private security officer, he was pursued on foot and apprehended.

Identity and handover

Further investigation established that the man had falsely identified himself as a conductor and that he had been the truck’s driver. RUSA reported that he is an undocumented foreign national from Mangochi, Malawi.

Two other men at the scene told officers they were the truck’s conductors and said the apprehended man had been driving when he allegedly failed to navigate the bend, causing the vehicle to overturn. The driver was handed over to the King Shaka International Airport South African Police Service for further investigation.