adminPamela Shumba Senior Reporter
A FIVE-year-old Bulawayo boy was crushed to death and had his brains splattered when a speeding panel van rammed into two houses in Nkulumane 12 suburb yesterday morning.Witnesses say the driver, identified as Ivan Ndebele, was speeding and failed to apply brakes, resulting in the vehicle veering off the road as he approached a junction near Choppies Supermarket in Nkulumane 12.
“The vehicle was speeding and everyone watched helplessly as it veered off the road and plunged into these two houses,” said
Nomathemba Moyo, a neighbour. “The boy was playing in the yard when the vehicle hit him before crashing into the houses, destroying property worth thousands of dollars.”
She said shocked residents rushed to the scene and tried to rescue the toddler, Siyabonga Ncube, but found him dead.
“It looks like the boy got trapped under the vehicle after it hit him and dragged him for about five metres, cut through the first house and plunged into the second house,” said another witness.
“The boy’s body was reduced to pieces and his brain splattered all over the place. The driver quickly fled the scene and left a passenger who was seriously injured.”
When Chronicle arrived at the scene, shocked residents were still gathered at the house discussing the incident.
The boy’s remains had been removed while the passenger, identified as Shepherd Msimanga, had been rushed to hospital.
Residents said Msimanga tried to flee but was caught by an angry mob, which assaulted him and was rescued by the police.
Devastated, the boy’s father, Mmeli Ncube, broke down as he expressed his grief.
“I’m devastated and can’t believe my son is gone. I had two children and I’m now left with one. I was shocked when I got a call about this from my sister,” he said.
Siyabonga’s mother was said to be in Hwange.
A family spokesperson Jili Mutemeri said the lad was staying with his grandmother who had travelled to Kezi and left him with his cousin.
The wreckage of the panel van was still stuck in the rubble and Mutemeri said the house was now wobbly and could collapse if the vehicle was removed.
“We understand the car belongs to someone in the United Kingdom. Msimanga is the driver of the vehicle but he decided to give the car to Ndebele to drive. Ndebele was seen speeding like a mad man resulting in the accident which has unfortunately claimed the life of an innocent child,” he said.
“We’ve since ordered the owners of the vehicle to look for a builder to repair the house today because if they remove the car the rest of the house is likely to collapse.”
A relative to Ndebele claimed the vehicle was stolen but said they had not reported the theft to the police.
He said Ndebele, who is from Nkulumane, was unlicensed.
Comment could not be obtained from the police yesterday.
Online Reporter