How the accident happened

This is my story! A freak accident; it just happened and changed my life. The name “Brenda” is an alias for my girlfriend at the time. This name is used to protect her privacy and that of her family.

7 OCTOBER 2003

That morning the two of us were very excited. Brenda was getting her brand new car today. The day at the office was hectic; I could not wait for the day to end and to see the excitement on her face when she takes delivery of her brand new car! This was a special day!

There were still a lot of things to be done on her new vehicle, tow bar, tracker etc. She also had a car to trade in. She was supposed to take delivery of the car at the dealership in Roodepoort that afternoon and then bring her old car in as the trade-in. Tracker was running late that afternoon and I had to phone her and tell her that I will bring the new vehicle home to her that evening. I left the dealership around 18h00 that evening. I went to fill up the car and pick up the roses I ordered. I made a phone call to her minutes before I left the petrol station telling her that she could open the Champagne and wait outside, as I was only ten minutes away. I was delivering her brand new Gold Volkswagen Jetta myself!

Driving in South Africa, Johannesburg in the middle lane on the N1 highway underneath the Malibongwe (Hans Strydom) Bridge towards William Nichol off-ramp. I was traveling at a speed of about 120km/h in the middle lane. The next minute I saw an object coming towards me. I did not know what it was. I can only remember the word “HELP” going through my mind.

That was the last thing I can remember. What happened? Was I dreaming? What are the boundaries between life and death? What is a glimpse of eternity? Who is right and who is wrong? What are the big secrets in your life? Do you have something that you are hiding from someone? Will you ever meet the people that you have hurt so much here on this earth?

What happened was, a young male driving an Opel Corsa Gsi came down on the other side of the highway towards Roodepoort on the N1 highway and changed from the fast to the slow lane and then to the middle lane when he hit a red Polo Classic at the back of the Polo. The women in the Polo Classic flew through the windshield. She is alive and well today.

The young male of the Opel Corsa Gsi then lost control and came right through the bushes that separate the two highways then he hit me head-on in the middle lane on the other side of the highway. My car did a 180 u-turn facing the oncoming traffic, the Opel Corsa landed in the slow lane. While my car was standing in the middle lane facing the oncoming traffic, a white Toyota Camry came around the bend. The driver did not see the accident and drove straight into me, the second head-on collision in a matter of five seconds.

My car was a complete write-off. (See video clip of accident in gallery section)

However, in this good fortune or dumb luck a complete stranger stopped and tried to help all of us. His name is Roelof Barkhuizen. What a man? He did not think of himself but how he can save someone else. He helped the women from the Red Polo. She was thrown from her car and was lying in the fast lane of the highway. When he got to the Corsa the driver had already passed on. The Corsa started to catch fire and people tried to get him out the car but failed. Netcare 911 emergency workers as well as the firefighters all helped to save us. They had to close the highway for oncoming traffic. It took them hours to cut me from the wreck. The woman from the Polo and me were then airlifted to Sunning Hill Hospital. The man from the Camry was also taken to hospital. Luckily, he did not have serious injuries.