GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - A "fatal" vehicle accident had a bizarre twist in the tail when it came to light that the deceased had in fact died before the accident on Saturday 25 May at 06:00.

Five people were injured and taken to hospital after the Toyota Avanza with six occupants overturned and crashed through a fence on the R61 between Aberdeen and Beaufort West, about 40km from Aberdeen.

The driver and one passenger suffered serious back and neck injuries and the driver was later airlifted to Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth by helicopter.

However, the sixth occupant of the vehicle, who was initially thought to have died in the accident, was in fact a corpse, which was being transported in the back of the vehicle. The body fell out of the back of the vehicle when it overturned.

Law not clear
According to a local lawyer - contrary to popular belief - there is no general legal specification regarding the transportation of dead bodies. 

Some municipalities have specific by-laws referring to this. For instance, in Ventersdorp, the cemetery by-law stipulates that no person shall convey any body in a manner whereby it or any portion thereof is exposed in any street, cemetery or public place, but there appears to be no national regulations. 

Local funeral directors commented that to their knowledge there are no by-laws, but they would always transport a body inside a closed stretcher, a body bag, or coffin.

The National Health Act 2013 Regulations on human remains specifies that the container used to transport human remains should be effectively sealed, and the transport thereof should not endanger public health. 

The local funeral directors confirmed that for economy, relatives would often collect a body and transport it home in a taxi, but any body leaving their premises would certainly be safely sealed, usually in a coffin. 

It would appear that in this instance the unexpected passenger was not in a coffin.