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Durban - A man who was hit by a truck and pinned beneath it for nearly two hours on Monday said that while he feared he may die, thoughts of his 1-year-old son kept his mind occupied.
Security guard Khangelani Skhonje, 34, emerged from the ordeal with little more than a bruised knee, something that medics described as “miraculous”.
In an exclusive interview with News24 from his King Edward VIII Hospital bed, Skhonje said he was walking from his Malvern home to catch a minibus taxi to work.
“I left home at 06:10 this morning [Monday] and I was walking along the pavement next to the vehicles heading towards Durban. A truck tyre burst behind me and the truck lost control and it left the road and came straight towards me,” he said.
'I thought my life was over'
Skhonje said he started running as fast as he could but he could not outrun the Sonani Transport truck.
“It was coming too fast and I was confused and it rode over me. The truck was on top of me for about an hour, I thought my life was over. I tried to scream but the cars kept driving past.”
Skhonje said the driver waved down motorists and called for help and a motorist wearing a Transnet uniform finally stopped and helped.
“He called the ambulance and he kept telling me not to give up because the ambulance was on its way. I held on, I did not want to give up,” said an emotional Skhonje.
“I could feel the pressure on my legs but I could move my upper body. At some point I could feel that I was losing strength but I thought about my 1-year-old son Luzile and my partner Sindiswa Mzomba who are both in the Eastern Cape.”
Skhonje said an hour later he saw the ambulance and breakdown vehicle and he knew the worst was over.
“They lifted the truck off me and I got an injection. I am grateful to God that I am still alive, I couldn’t believe that the whole truck was on top of me, it’s a miracle, I am still in shock.”
'Truly miraculous'
Rescue Care spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said that fate had intervened for Skhonje.
“It is truly miraculous that the man came out of this incident with such minor injuries and he could very easily have been killed.”
Jamieson said that medics had rushed to Skhonje’s aid when they found him trapped under the wheel of the truck.
“Paramedics immediately called the Police’s Search and Rescue Unit and Durban Fire Department for assistance. Fortunately a large towing truck from Car Towing Services was close by and arrived on scene.
“Paramedics stabilised the injured man whilst rescue efforts continued and the truck was then lifted off the patient with the large tow truck. The patient was then transported by Rescue Care to a nearby hospital. The truck driver was also injured and treated and transported by Rescue Care to a nearby hospital,” he added.
