Netball player paralysed after taxi accident

NSA chief executive Blanche de la Guerre said the player, whose family did not want her named, had sustained a neck fracture.

She said the specialist treating her had stated that the player would have very limited use of her arms only. The specialist had said the first priority would be to stabilise her neck.

Two other players are still in hospital in Worcester, but the rest have been discharged from hospital. The two are expected to leave hospital by the end of the week, NSA said.

The Boland Netball Association is providing them with accommodation and counselling.

The team from Sedibeng in the Vaal Triangle was travelling to the national netball championships in Cape Town when the driver of their taxi lost control of the vehicle, which rolled down an embankment between De Doorns and Worcester.

The player who was paralysed in the accident was transferred to the Tygerberg Hospital because of the severity of her injuries, and there are plans to move her to the spinal rehabilitation unit at Groote Schuur as soon as possible, NSA said.

De la Guerre said NSA was doing everything it could to assist all the players, and would bring two members of the seriously injured player’s family to Cape Town.

– Sapa