THE court hearing of George municipal employee Sinethembe Bhezi, who is facing changes of culpable homicide following an accident in which a British tourist was killed, has been postponed to April 16.

John Reece, 40, of Twickenham, England, died instantly after the rented Volkswagen Golf he was driving was involved in a head-on collision with Bhezi‘s Jetta.

George police spokesman Captain Dolly Subramoney yesterday said prosecutor Ernie Ntyhohle asked magistrate Gutz Essop to postpone Bhezi‘s case to allow for further investigation.

Bhezi failed to attend his first court appearance on January 22 and a warrant for his arrest was issued. Subramoney said Bhezi eventually came to the magistrate‘s court on his own accord on February 20 and a legal aid attorney was appointed.

The accident happened near Leentjiesklip, Wilderness, on April 5 last year when Bhezi‘s Jetta veered across two lanes, colliding into Reece‘s car.

Reece‘s wife, Nicole, suffered severe head, eye and foot injuries, while their daughter Daisy, 4, was unharmed. Bhezi‘s son broke his leg while other occupants of the car were unharmed.

The Reeces were on holiday on the Garden Route on a return visit, having married several years before at the nearby Carmel Christian holiday retreat in Victoria Bay.

Bhezi is the second municipal employee currently facing charges of culpable homicide. Twins Sankelo and Nasiphe Yawani, 6, and their cousin Mihle Yawani, 5, of Thembalethu, died after being run down in their driveway by alleged drunk driver Mandisi Mntuyedwa on November 29.

Mntuyedwa, a George law enforcement supervisor, was driving a municipal vehicle after hours.