Drunk driver injures 17-year-old reed dance maiden, leaves her with fractured leg

A 17-year-old girl who took part in KwaZulu‑Natal’s annual reed dance was left with a fractured leg after being struck by a vehicle while leaving the Mashobeni Royal Palace, provincial authorities said.

What happened

The girl, who is from Richmond, was hit by a passing motorist while outside the royal palace along the busy R66 on Sunday. She was treated and is recovering at home, the provincial transport minister said.

Arrest and breathalyser result

The driver was stopped by the province’s Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) and arrested after showing signs of intoxication. A breathalyser test returned a reading of 0.74 mg of alcohol per litre in his blood described by authorities as triple the legal limit.

“The breathalyser test conducted by the no-nonsense RTI team on the driver showed a reading of 0.74 mg of alcohol per litre in his blood – which is triple the legal limit.”

Authorities said the driver works for a car dealership in Ulundi and will appear in court tomorrow, the minister said.

Response and safety measures

KZN’s MEC for Transport, Siboniso Duma, praised organisers and first responders for their actions during the reed dance weekend. He thanked health professionals and community leaders who assisted the maidens.

“We salute the swift reaction from all involved, including community leaders, Khaya Khumalo, and Majuba Mavuso, who worked with health professionals to assist maidens.”

Duma said law enforcement will remain alert and that RTI and the Operation Shanela team will continue with patrols, inspections and traffic management as maidens return home.

Transport and crowd management

The MEC highlighted the scale of the event’s transport operation, saying more than 100 buses and more than 700 taxis picked up maidens. He also thanked the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, RTI, Operation Shanela teams and traffic officers from several local municipalities for minimising congestion and averting major accidents around eMashobeni Palace.

Duma named the municipalities involved as Jozini, Umhlabuyalingana, Inkosi UMtubatuba, UPhongolo and Abaqulusi.

“At this stage, we wish to commend bus companies, taxi operators, and all drivers for adhering to the rules of the road,”

Duma concluded.