A woman and her grandchild were killed in a freak accident in which a speeding car drove into their shack in Khayelitsha.
The Mpayipeli family had just finished eating supper when a Toyota Hilux bakkie rammed into their home in TR Section along Mew Way.
The incident happened on Thursday evening around 8pm and four homes were flattened by the driver who was reportedly a minor.
Nomvume, 54, and 12-year-old Imange Mpayipeli died on the scene and the rest of the family were taken to hospital.
Imange’s mom Phaphama was discharged on Friday.
One of the seven family members was hit while standing by the tap outside the hokkie. She has been admitted to Tygerberg Hospital.
Hlumile Moyikwa was injured while taking a bath.
Her mom, Gcobisa Moyikwa, says: “She was slightly injured because the kitchen cupboard fell on her.
“My kitchen was flattened and we had to break one of the iron sheets to get out of the shack.”
A shaken Owethu Peter says her daughter Elimnandi, 8, was visiting her father for the school holidays.
Owethu says: “I received a call telling me to go to the hospital and that my child was injured. When I got there, she had a wound to her knee.”
Gcobisa says this was not the first incident of its kind.
Gcobisa says: “This is not the first time that an accident like this has happened, but those few times no one died.
“We have been asking for barriers to stop cars from damaging people’s homes, but that plea keeps falling on deaf ears.
“Just two months ago, a car drove into someone’s shack a few metres away from our homes and then in November last year, the same thing happened in another shack.”
Local councillor, Lukhanyo Simangweni, says officials visited the site to assess the damage and to see how they can help.
Simangweni says: “The driver, who is a minor, was not alone in the car, he was subsequently arrested. The community members have been asking for speed humps, but that road is not suitable for such devices.
“There have been many accidents because people drive at a high speed on that road.”
