Two accidents, including one in which a six-year-old girl was decapitated, have sparked violent protests by residents.
|||Durban - Two accidents, including one in which a six-year-old Durban girl died after she was run over by a car outside her home, have sparked violent protests by residents.
Luyanda Cele was standing at a vegetable garden across from her home in Newlands West on Sunday when a car ploughed into her and two others - 21-year-year-old Nomzamo Cele and her daughter Amanda, two - who were injured.
Luyanda, a pupil at Ndabazezwe Primary School, was decapitated.
Later that day another car crashed into a house on the same road, not far from the first incident.
Angry residents of the suburb’s Khulula housing scheme blockaded Brairdale Road with burning refuse and branches of trees.
They demanded the city introduce speed calming measures to put a stop the accidents.
On Monday Luyanda’s aunt, Rebecca Cele, said the driver lost control on a bend as he drove down the road. The car skidded on to the pavement where it struck the Cele family.
Amanda was still in hospital while Nomzamo, who had suffered injuries to her legs, had been discharged on Monday, she said.
Cele said the family had cleared a piece of land for the vegetable garden across from their home.
The area was fenced with wire and bamboo sticks.
“The car was airborne and dragged them a metre before it capsized,” she said. “Luyanda died on the spot. She was decapitated. I was in shock and I screamed when I saw her lifeless body.”
On Monday the city’s roads department blocked off Brairdale Road with concrete barriers.
The police markings were still on the road indicating the path of the car into the garden. Cele covered the blood stains, pointing out where her niece’s body had lain, not far from a car bumper and parts from the wrecked vehicle.
Police spokesman, Colonel Vincent Mdunge, said a case of culpable homicide and reckless or negligent driving was being investigated.
He said a statement had been taken from the driver but no arrest had been made.
Speaking about the second accident, resident Cynthia Mbiko, 31, said she was in the main building on her property when she heard the sound of screeching tyres.
Seconds later, a car crashed into another building on the property.
“The car was out of control. It came up the embankment and on to my house. I am glad nobody was in there at the time.”
Mbiko said she was now scared to live there but was glad the barriers had been put in place to give some protection
Mayor James Nxumalo met the Cele family on Sunday. He urged residents not to use violence and vandalism to raise their grievances.
“This situation has left us heart-sore,” he said. “Measures are already in place to prevent a recurrence of this disastrous incident. We are finalising the process of constructing speed calming measures in the area.”
Daily News