A FIVE-year-old boy was killed while trying to cross the notorious N2 yesterday morning.
The boy was with his 14-year-old cousin, who was rushed to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha in a serious condition.
The two had been crossing the road to catch a taxi to school when a car struck them around 7am in Maqhinebeni village less than a kilometre from Viedgiesville outside Mthatha.
The dead boy has been identified as Mihlali Mtyundyutho, a Grade R pupil. His injured cousin is Bongekile Mtyundyutho, a Grade 10 pupil at Khanyisa High School.
Residents who spoke to the Daily Dispatch yesterday said eight school children had died crossing the road since last year. The most recent tragedy brings the number to nine.
Last month, a seven-year-old boy was rushed to hospital after a car struck him between Mthatha and Tsolo. He was crossing the national road on his way to school.
The N2, which cuts through the heart of the Transkei, was declared the country’s most dangerous road in 2009 due to the high number of accidents.
Earlier this year, the Dispatch reported that a British website named it as one of the most deadly roads in the world.
A devastated Nomfuneko Mtyundyutho said she was in Kokstad when she heard that her nephew had been killed.
“This is really painful for us. That road is very wide and there are no obstructions whether you coming from Mthatha or going towards that direction.
“There’s no way someone can claim they did not see a child crossing the road.”
Arrive Alive Eastern Cape provincial spokesman Tshepo Machaea said the two children had been struck by a VW Citi Golf travelling from Mthatha. Young Mihlali reportedly died on impact.
“The older of the two was immediately taken to hospital with fractures to his right leg and head injuries.”
Machaea said the car was driven by a female teacher, who was on her way to school at the time of the accident. She has not been arrested but a case of culpable homicide is being investigated.
The Daily Dispatch visited the scene less than an hour after the accident. Traffic officers were busy directing traffic.
The driver was at the scene and was visibly shaken. She said she had been on her way to Mqanduli.
Angry parents from Maqhinebeni yesterday put the blame squarely on the shoulders of government authorities for failing to heed their desperate pleas for speed humps on that stretch of road.
“This road is destroying our children,” said a village ward committee member Njenje Nkotho. “It’s been the same thing for many years.”
Another villager, Sivuyile Kobo, said said most of the children killed had been from Springvale Junior Secondary School in the village.
Springvale teachers confirmed that many of their children had been hit by cars while crossing the road.
“It’s rare that they survive,” said the school’s head of department Nothali Madyibi.
Another teacher Headman Qongqo said the situation was starting to affect their enrolment figures as parents opted to take their children to other schools. He said the school had also requested speed humps but to no avail.
The national Department of Transport could not be reached for comment yesterday.
However, Machaea told villagers they would set up a meeting with the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to find remedial action for the road.
Traffic officers would man the section of road until a lasting solution was found. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Schoolboy killed on N2
The boy was with his 14-year-old cousin, who was rushed to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha in a serious condition.
The two had been crossing the road to catch a taxi to school when a car struck them around 7am in Maqhinebeni village less than a kilometre from Viedgiesville outside Mthatha.
The dead boy has been identified as Mihlali Mtyundyutho, a Grade R pupil. His injured cousin is Bongekile Mtyundyutho, a Grade 10 pupil at Khanyisa High School.
Residents who spoke to the Daily Dispatch yesterday said eight school children had died crossing the road since last year. The most recent tragedy brings the number to nine.
Last month, a seven-year-old boy was rushed to hospital after a car struck him between Mthatha and Tsolo. He was crossing the national road on his way to school.
The N2, which cuts through the heart of the Transkei, was declared the country’s most dangerous road in 2009 due to the high number of accidents.
Earlier this year, the Dispatch reported that a British website named it as one of the most deadly roads in the world.
A devastated Nomfuneko Mtyundyutho said she was in Kokstad when she heard that her nephew had been killed.
“This is really painful for us. That road is very wide and there are no obstructions whether you coming from Mthatha or going towards that direction.
“There’s no way someone can claim they did not see a child crossing the road.”
Arrive Alive Eastern Cape provincial spokesman Tshepo Machaea said the two children had been struck by a VW Citi Golf travelling from Mthatha. Young Mihlali reportedly died on impact.
“The older of the two was immediately taken to hospital with fractures to his right leg and head injuries.”
Machaea said the car was driven by a female teacher, who was on her way to school at the time of the accident. She has not been arrested but a case of culpable homicide is being investigated.
The Daily Dispatch visited the scene less than an hour after the accident. Traffic officers were busy directing traffic.
The driver was at the scene and was visibly shaken. She said she had been on her way to Mqanduli.
Angry parents from Maqhinebeni yesterday put the blame squarely on the shoulders of government authorities for failing to heed their desperate pleas for speed humps on that stretch of road.
“This road is destroying our children,” said a village ward committee member Njenje Nkotho. “It’s been the same thing for many years.”
Another villager, Sivuyile Kobo, said said most of the children killed had been from Springvale Junior Secondary School in the village.
Springvale teachers confirmed that many of their children had been hit by cars while crossing the road.
“It’s rare that they survive,” said the school’s head of department Nothali Madyibi.
Another teacher Headman Qongqo said the situation was starting to affect their enrolment figures as parents opted to take their children to other schools. He said the school had also requested speed humps but to no avail.
The national Department of Transport could not be reached for comment yesterday.
However, Machaea told villagers they would set up a meeting with the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to find remedial action for the road.
Traffic officers would man the section of road until a lasting solution was found. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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