Principal rushes to accident scene

ALMOST four years after a school pupil was killed by a speeding motorist while heading for school, Ian Africa found himself fearing the worst when he rushed to another accident scene where one of his pupils was knocked over by a car on Tuesday morning.

“I arrived at school on Tuesday morning when one of my teachers informed me that a pupil had been knocked over by a car while crossing a busy road. I didn’t know what to expect,” Africa, Greenwood Park Primary School’s principal, said.

On 17 September 2010 Nothando Kubeka lost her life when she was hit by a car crossing North Coast Road. Since then, some traffic calming measures have been put in place on North Coast Road and the road leading up to the school.

The seven-year-old school boy was run over by a woman driving a black Audi. It is alleged that the boy ran after another pupil when he crossed the road on their way to Greenwood Park Primary School.

“The accident happened close to Effingham Heights Primary School at the top of Effingham Road at about 7.45am on Tuesday morning,” he added.

It is believed the boy was walking to school with an older pupil, who is in Grade 5. Africa said the Grade 5 pupil told them he had crossed the road when all was clear, but turned around when he heard a loud smash to find the Grade 2 pupil knocked over by a car.

“About four years ago Nothando Kubeka was killed when knocked over by a car on the way to school. Since then pointsmen have been helping children cross at the busy North Coast Road intersection in the mornings, but there are no pointsmen in the afternoon,” Africa said.

According to Africa there have been a number of other serious accidents in the area and said he believes pedestrian safety is something Metro Police should be looking in to. He expressed his concern over a lack of traffic calming in Effingham Road and said speedbumps, pedestrian crossings or robots are urgently needed to safeguard pedestrians on the busy road.

“The road that this boy was knocked over on is very narrow. Although there are sidewalks for pedestrians, crossing the road is very dangerous as there are no pedestrian crossings for pedestrians coming from Effingham’s side,” he said.

He confirmed that the school, in conjunction with Greenwood Park Police Station, does regular pedestrian safety talks and exercises and added the school also had a its own pointsmen to ensure children cross the road safely.

The boy was transported to Addington Hospital by paramedics who stabalised him on scene.

Africa reported that he was in a stable condition: “I contacted his parents, who said he was given pain medication and is currently sleeping. His parents said nurses were still taking x-rays to establish the seriousness of his injuries.”