Simon Phiri, a popular waiter in a restaurant on the corner of Jan Smuts and Rothesay avenues in Craighall Park was run over by a motorist driving a maroon 4X4 at about 10.30am on 20 April.
Phiri said the incident changed his life. “It’s so painful and hard to move around because of the incident. Now I won’t be able to go to work for two months and I am the breadwinner. I have to take care of my two children,” said Phiri.
Though the motorist allegedly drove off without stopping, reservist Constable Warren Saitowitz from Bramley Police Station chased after him and managed to arrest him with the assistance of a staff member at the restaurant opposite, who had recorded the registration number.
A witness, Sicelo Masuku said she heard a sound and saw a car driving on the pavement. “Because we know each other so well, I just ran to him and made sure he lay down until we received help. But the guy had driven off already,” said Masuku.
Phiri was left with a broken leg and had surgery at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital where they inserted a titanium plate to heal his bone fractures. It will take some time before he can return to work, as his job involves being on his feet.
“I hope the suspect can compensate me for what he did to me, and that money should be able to cover me until I’m well enough to return to work because I still have to go through physiotherapy,” said Phiri.
Parkview Police Station has confirmed that the driver was arrested on 20 April and was out on bail by the following day. Parkview Police Sation spokesperson, Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said the station tries to ensure that the community is safe and those breaking the law are arrested. “The suspect appeared at Hillbrow Magistrates’ court on 23 April to answer to charges of reckless and negligent driving, and the case was postponed to 14 June,” she concluded.
Have you ever been the victim of a hit and run? Send your story to koketsor@caxton.co.za
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