“Six people have died from suspected dehydration after taking part in a KwaZulu-Natal traffic department recruitment fitness test. The SABC reported another person apparently committed suicide in frustration after the test.”
Meanwhile the provincial Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Willies Mchunu (above) could not be reached for comment. We can only imagine he is off enjoying his festive break.
However, his department said in a statement the fitness test would be investigate in which “scores” of people who were trying to get a job at the road traffic inspectorate, collapsed during a fitness test.
More than 34 000 applicants qualified for the 90 trainee posts which were advertised. In the end 15,600 applicants attended a fitness test at the Harry Gwala Stadium and another 15,600 on Friday. Most of them could not cope with the hot weather and collapsed while many of them had to be taken to hospital. Six died and one where said to have committed suicide.
The department said they “regret” injuries or loss of lives.
