/ 12 October 2004

Bulldozer runs amok in Soweto

A Soweto man was woken up from a nap on Tuesday by the sound of a bulldozer crashing through his house, Johannesburg emergency services said.

The bulldozer had been carrying out roadworks in Doornkop, on the western border of Soweto, when the driver experienced brake failure, spokesperson Malcolm Midgley said.

He crashed through the garden wall of one house, taking out the gate, and then continued ploughing through the house, which Midgley said was the size of a garage.

However, the bulldozer continued moving and crashed through another house.

Furniture and personal belongings were destroyed in both houses and all that remained in the second house was a television set, Midgley said.

The man in the second house was not injured but was ”quite stunned”, he said.

”As you imagine he was having a little nap and then this great bulldozer came crashing through his house. He said it was a little bit noisy, so he woke up,” said Midgley.

He now faces the task of rebuilding the two-thirds of his house that were destroyed. The other house was destroyed.

The bulldozer driver was not injured. — Sapa