A total of 1 781 foreign visitors or tourists were seriously injured in road accidents in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces in the 12-month period ended March and a further 364 died in this time, according to Transport Minister Dullah Omar.
Claims from the estates of those killed and of those injured amounted to R152,2-million.
In reply to a question from Dickson Mkono, a United Democratic Movement MP, who asked how many foreign tourists were involved in or killed in road accidents, Omar said between April 1 last year and March 31 this year, 32 522 visitors and tourists were involved in road traffic accidents in the eight provinces.
Altogether 4 027 were slightly injured and 26 350 escaped uninjured. Citizens of 48 countries were involved. The biggest payouts from the Road Accident Fund went to two injured Belgians — who received R30-million each. A Briton received the next highest figure of R24,8-million. Claims in the case of three Britons killed ranged between just over one million rand to R2,5-million. A claim following the death of an Irish citizen amounted to R800 000.
Other high payouts went to six citizens of the United States of America who were injured. They ranged from R900 000 up to three million rand.
One of the smallest payouts went to the estate of a Mozambican citizen who was killed — it was just R5 900. The estate of a Botswana citizen received just R9 536.
The largest payout in an African country — identified only as a “neighbouring country” — was just over a million rand for a person who was injured.
Details for KwaZulu Natal were not available as information of this kind can’t be extracted from the province’s system, the minister reported. – I-Net Bridge