Brain injury after police vehicle bumps boy
A five-year-old boy who was recently knocked by a police vehicle while crossing Outspan Drive, commonly referred to as the road of death, is still recovering in hospital.
POLOKWANE – There have been several accidents on that road in past, which include a 19-year-old motorcyclist involved in a hit and run, caused by reckless driving and speeding.
“When motorists cross the intersection at Outspan and De Wet Drive, they accelerate and speed down the road, not taking into consideration pedestrians and other motorists who also use the road,” complained several residents. The speeding motorists, according to the residents, only slow down when they get close to the speed bump at Faranani Estate.
Rizwan Basha was with his two older brothers when the accident happened.
Rizwan’s mother, Marinda Basha, explains what happened:
“My boys left out house in Outspan Drive and were on their way to the shop when the accident happened.”
“I was busy in the kitchen when I heard a loud bang. Rizwan’s brothers were so brave after he was knocked down, my eldest carried his brother out of the road and my middle son came to call me. Rizwan had just left the yard and was about to cross the road when the car knocked him down. It is clear that the driver did not slow down when he saw my son, because there are no marks on the road to show that he braked. The vehicle only stopped after it knocked my child.
Rizwan sustained head injuries and has swelling on the brain. Doctors are keeping him sedated because he has a lot of pain and they say he will have to learn how to walk again,” a devastated Marinda said.
Polokwane Police Spokesperson, WO Lesiba Ramoshaba, said a case of reckless and negligent driving is being investigated and the docket will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for a decision.
Ramoshaba confirmed that no one has been arrested yet.
According to a residents who live in Outspan Drive they have asked the municipality several times to put up speed bumps in the road to stop motorists from driving at the speed of light, but the municipality has just turned a deaf ear to their pleas.
Municipal Spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, said speed bumps are allocated as capital projects which are addressed according to requests in Integrated Development Planning (IDP) meetings which will then be addressed in that financial year.
“We encourage residents to attend IDP meetings where they can raise their concerns so that the municipality can attend to them.
“Residents can also voice their concerns through their ward councillor so that it can receive the necessary attention from the municipality,” Mothapo said.
