A man is in a critical condition after losing control of his earth grader and rolling down a ten metre embankment, crossing over Kassier Road (Shongweni) and down another embankment before coming to a halt in the sugar cane.
By the time emergency personnel arrived on the scene, members of the local community had helped the driver to the side of the road.
The man was assessed and found to have suffered severe blunt chest trauma and was battling to breath. He had also broken his arm in the accident.
He was treated for possible neck and back injuries and placed on a specialised board, but started to deteriorate on the scene and advanced life support intervention was performed before he was rushed to a nearby hospital for further medical care.
It is believed that mechanical problems may have caused the driver to lose control of the grader, making it impossible to stop.