UPDATE: Gavin Watson switched cars the day before his accident – read more here.

Gavin Watson is dead.

73-year-old Gavin Watson, the CEO of Bosasa, has been killed in a car accident.

More from News24:

A 73-year old man, believed to be a Bosasa executive, was killed in a “horrific” car accident in the early hours of Monday morning close to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

Bosasa executives have rushed to the scene of the accident on the R21 near the airport, where a Bosasa company-registered Toyota Corolla was destroyed after colliding with a concrete pillar.

News24 has confirmed it is a Bosasa vehicle involved, but the identity of the occupant is not yet clear. According to a law enforcement officer, who did not wish to be named, the accident occurred at 05:05, on the road leading up to the drop-off point at the airport.

It is understood that the vehicle collided with the pillar of a bridge after the driver allegedly lost control. The officer described the scene as “horrific”.

Both EWN and eNCA have confirmed that the man who died is Gavin Watson.

News24 has since updated its story to include the following:

News24 has seen a copy of the Germiston mortuary’s registry that lists Gavin Joseph Watson, aged 71-years old, as the deceased of Monday morning’s horrific car accident at OR Tambo International Airport. The body of the Bosasa CEO was admitted to the mortuary just after 08:00. The registry contains the first six digits of Watson’s identity number.

Most outlets report Watson’s age as 73, not 71.

This from the EWN report:

“The man was driving into the airport precinct, when he allegedly lost control of his vehicle and collided with a concrete pillar holding up a highway bridge. The victim was certified dead on the scene by paramedics and a case of culpable homicide has been opened for investigation,” the police said through a statement on Monday.

“A case of culpable homicide has been opened” – interesting.

This story is developing, and we will update it as more information becomes available.

Some tweets from those on the scene:

PICS: We are at the crash scene where Bosasa CEO, Gavin Watson died. Car already loaded to on Tow truck. @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/q0iKQIU7Pd

— Sesona Ngqakamba (@Sesona_Ngqaks) August 26, 2019

The car in which #GavinWatson was driving to O R Tambo Airport in.
Police trucks are now taking the car away.#sabcnews pic.twitter.com/aPxWwAJwjA

— Chriselda Lewis ™️ (@Chriseldalewis) August 26, 2019

UPDATE: Gavin Watson switched cars the day before his accident – read more here.

[sources:news24&ewn]