ever since the 60's Jan Smuts Airport as it was known then, had that kink to the left after leaving the main apron, to get to the holding point for RNY03, so this crew would have operated into O R Tambo many times before, and travelled this path before many times before this..this can only be ascribed to a momentary loss of concentration and situational awareness on this day.
It is only human to err
on this old photo of Jan Smuts the taxiway -M as it is today is approx behind and slightly beyond the vertical fin of the SAA B747-244
