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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]

THE life of six-year-old ECD A pupil from Godlwayo Village in Esigodini, Goodwill Tshalibe has been cut short after he was run over by a vehicle which he had jumped off from.

The boy and his peers were on their way to Nhlanhla Primary School on 22 October, when they were offered a lift by a Good Samaritan. One of the learners lost his hat and Goodwill jumped out to pick it.  As the driver, Makhosi Siziba reversed the vehicle her ran over the boy who was behind the car.

When the Chronicle news crew visited the scene villagers had gathered at the Tshalibe homestead to console the bereaved family. The incident occurred about a 100 metres from the homestead along an earth road.

The boy’s father, Mr Messiah Tshalibe said his son took his last breath while he was holding him in his arms.

“At around 6am my son and his peers boarded an open truck vehicle at our gate. Moments later I heard shouting and screaming and when I went to check I discovered that my boy had been run over by the vehicle. When I found him he was still breathing but he wasn’t moving.

“I picked him up in my arms and ran with him along the road trying to see where I could get help. After a few metres I noticed that he had stopped breathing and that’s when I realised he was gone,” he said.

Mr Tshalibe said he noticed that his son’s head had been cracked on one side. He said the death of his son had left him devastated.

He said the news he received is that his son jumped of the vehicle in order to retrieve a hat that had been dropped by his peer and the vehicle ran him over.

The driver of the vehicle, Makhosi Siziba who is from the area said he was on his way to collect some pots for a community event when he offered the learners a lift.

“I picked up the learners the totalled around 10 and after travelling for a few metres I heard the children shouting. I stopped the car and they told me that one of them had dropped a hat. I reversed the car and as I did I realised that I had hit something.

“I stopped to check and I realised that I had hit the boy and I alerted villagers. The boy had jumped out of the vehicle as I was reversing but I hadn’t noticed,” he said.

Ms Samukeliso Ncube, a neighbour who witnessed the incident said she heard children shouting as was she was in her house. She rushed out and saw Goodwill jump out of the vehicle from the back as it started reversing.

Ms Ncube said it was too late to alert the driver.

Godlwayo Village head, Mr Calet Mabhena said the community has been plunged in mourning.

“This is a very sad day for us. A day which was supposed to be a day of celebration has been turned into a day of mourning. It’s never easy to lose someone and worse a child this young. We stand with the family during this difficult time,” he said.

The community has set to hold a Pfumvudza/Intwasa Umzingwane District launch when the incident struck. Dignitaries that that had come to attend the event which include Umzingwane Constituency Member of Parliament Retired Brigadier General Levi Mayihlome and Umzingwane District Development Coordinator, Mr Peter Mahlathini visited the bereaved family.

@DubeMatutu